At the Barry County Committee of the Whole meeting Tuesday, most of the time was spent discussing the American Rescue Plan Act and recommendations from the county’s ARPA Committee, which has been working diligently for several months on the process.
The ARPA Committee received 19 completed applications and one incomplete application, and recommended 7 of those for the first round of federal funding, including:
-Allocating up to $1,332,000.00 in ARPA Funds for a Water Tower in Barry Township
-Allocating up to $839,000.00 in ARPA Funds for Water Tower and Supply Upgrades in the Village of Freeport
-Allocation of up to $2,400,000.00 in ARPA Funds for construction of an 800 Mhz Tower for dispatch
-Allocating up to $650,000.00 in ARPA Funds for Enhancements of the Paul B. Henry Thornapple Trail
-Allocation of up to $100,000.00 in ARPA Funds for the Activate Barry County Community Food Center Project in the City of Hastings
-Allocation of up to $240,000.00 in ARPA Funds to the Barry County Road Commission for Lost Revenue Replacement
-Allocating up to $14,000.00 in ARPA Funds for Sewer and Broadband Studies in the Algonquin Lake Area
The Committee of the Whole discussed each item separately and passed motions to recommend those allocations to the Barry County Board of Commissioners, subject to appropriate contractual approvals with the applicants.
