Title
Resolution authorizing the County Administrator to reallocate American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding dollars from completed, cancelled, or revised ARPA projects and initiatives to underfunded ARPA projects and initiatives, or other new County-related projects.
Staff Summary
• The ARPA was signed into law on March 11, 2021, and Lake County received $135,293,758 from the US Treasury.
• The funds can be used for needs associated with public health, to counteract negative economic impacts, provide services to disproportionately impacted communities, for infrastructure, to provide premium pay, to replace lost revenue, and for administrative purposes during a period from March 3, 2021, to December 31, 2026. The US Treasury requires that all funds be obligated to projects by December 31, 2024.
• Previously, authority was provided to the County Administrator to execute all agreements with partners related to allocations and distributions of these funds. The County Administrator was also provided the authority to transfer funds from completed, cancelled, or revised projects to other, underfunded ARPA projects.
• Based on the limited time remaining to ensure all funds are obligated, and the fluidity of project funding needs leading up to the December 31, 2024 deadline, the County Administrator requires the greatest flexibility regarding the reallocation of unobligated ARPA funds to ensure all funds are obligated to US Treasury allowed uses and spent in Lake County with no funds going back to the US Treasury.
• The County Administrator will be required to report any reallocations of funds to the Board and will provide a summary of all reallocations during the January 2025 Committee cycle.
Body
RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, the American Rescue Plan Act was signed into law on March 11, 2021, and Lake County received $135,293,758 from the US Treasury; and
WHEREAS, the funds can be used for needs associated with public health, to counteract negative economic impacts, provide services to disproportionately impacted communities, for infrastructure, to provide premium pay, to replace lost revenue, and for administrative purposes during a period from March 3, 2021, to December 31, 2026; and
WHEREAS, the US Treasury requires that all funds be obligated to projects by December 31, 2024; and
WHEREAS, authority was provided to the County Administrator to execute all agreements with partners related to allocations and distributions of these funds; and
WHEREAS, the County Administrator was also provided the authority to transfer funds from completed, cancelled, or revised projects to other, underfunded ARPA projects; and
WHEREAS, based on the limited time remaining to ensure all funds are obligated, and the fluidity of project funding needs leading up to the December 31, 2024 deadline and lack of further Committee/Board meetings, the County Administrator requires the greatest flexibility regarding the reallocation of unobligated ARPA funds to ensure all funds are obligated to US Treasury allowed uses and spent in Lake County with no funds going back to the US Treasury.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the County Administrator is authorized to reallocate American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding dollars from completed, cancelled, or revised ARPA projects and initiatives to underfunded ARPA projects and initiatives, or other new County-related projects as allowed by the US Treasury guidelines; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the authority to spend appropriated funds and execute any and all agreements with partners related to this allocation and distribution of Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds is delegated to the County Administrator or their designee(s); and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the County Administrator shall report all ARPA fund reallocations to the County Board and shall provide a report out of all reallocations at a Finance Committee meeting during the January, 2025 Committee cycle.
DATED, at Waukegan, Illinois, on November 12, 2024.