Dale commission OKs ‘Investing in Alabama’ agreement

The American Rescue Plan is a $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package that was signed into law in March of this year.

Dale County is allocated nearly $10 million under the plan and at the April 27 commission meeting agreed to partner with the Association of County Commissions of Alabama for its administration.

The “Investing in Alabama Counties” program will help guide counties through best use of the federal funding received under the American Rescue Plan Act, according to Dale County Commission Chairman Steve McKinnon. “They will help us best utilize the federal funding.”

McKinnon said that the federal funds will be allocated directly to the counties based on the county share of the United States population based on the most recent census data.

The first half of these funds will be distributed in May 2021 and the second half will be distributed no sooner than 12 months later.

The funds are designed to aid in response to the COVID-19 public health emergency and its negative impacts. The funds are to be used by Dec. 31, 2024.

The funds can be used “to provide assistance to households, small businesses and nonprofits relative to the negative economic impacts of COVID-19,” according to the ACCA’s membership agreement. It may also be used to aid impacted industries such as tourism, travel and hospitality; to make necessary investments in water, sewer or broadband infrastructure; or, to include premium pay for eligible workers performing essential work during the pandemic.”

According to the ACCA, they will provide assistance to include legal research to determine the type of projects eligible for the funds under the act and state law, monitoring U.S. Treasury regulations and governmental accounting requirements related to the funds and identifying opportunities for counties to maximize existing funds and minimize the risk of repayment and/or assessment of penalties.

The ACCA will also provide intergovernmental assistance during the four and one half year relief program and serve as a liaison with the Alabama Department of Examiners of Public Accounts and the Alabama Attorney General’s office.

Conducting training sessions with county leaders and personnel on the projects selected for their county to enable those leaders to inform the community and media of its plan for the funds is also part of the service the ACCA will provide.

According to the agreement, the county will appropriate a flat fee of 8 percent on the first $7 million in funds to be received and 5 percent on any funds to be received in excess of $7 million. The service fee is to be paid to the ACCA no later than Oct. 6.

In other business, the commission reappointed Joe W. Adams and Dr. Diane Murphy to three year terms on the Vivian B. Adams School Board of Directors. The terms will run until April 2024.

The next meeting of the Dale County Commission is May 11 in the Dale County Government Building in Ozark. A work session begins at 10 a.m. and is followed immediately by a voting meeting. Both meetings are open to the public.