Butler County commissioners say they have received millions of dollars as part of the American Rescue Plan Act, but without clear direction from the federal government, they remain in limbo as to what they are allowed to do with it.
“It’s money coming from the federal government with little or no guidance given to us at this time,” said Presiding Commissioner Vince Lampe.
Approximately six weeks ago, Lampe said, the county received $4.1 million in ARPA funds directly from the federal government, which is half of the $8.2 million the county is allotted under the program, signed into law in March.
Just like last year when CARES Act money was issued, Lampe said, there has been no initial guidance from the federal government on what expenditures are allowed.
“Until the federal government gives us something concrete, and they will write their approval on it, it’s going to stay right there,” Lampe said. “I’m not going to spend it until we know we can spend it, because I don’t want the federal government to own Butler County.”
Lampe said things would be much simpler if the federal government would issue guidelines before distributing the funds.
“It’s kind of like the CARES money that was funneled through the state to us,” he said of last year’s initial COVID stimulus program. “After a lot of counties already spent it, they came up and said ‘You’ve got to give the health department 15%,’ so what did the counties do that didn’t have the money because they already got rid of it.”
Eastern District Commissioner Butch Anderson agreed.
“It would be a shame if we were to spend that money and then all the sudden the government says we spent it wrong, and then we have to pay it back. That would mean shutting down county stuff in order to give it back,” Anderson said.
Currently, Lampe said, the county’s attorney is researching what he can on the matter.
“He’s going to give us his recommendations as soon as he gets enough information,” he said.
In the meantime, Lampe noted, he’s receiving calls every day asking for funding.
“It’s just hard,” he said of the situation and the frustration which has built up.
If spending guidance comes in and “they tell us we can spend it any way we want, I’m sure we’ll take care of our own entities first,” Lampe said, much like with 2020’s CARES Act funds.
Last year, funds were issued through the county commission to the health department, local schools, nutrition centers, Butler County, city of Poplar Bluff, the Bread Shed, Poplar Bluff Boys and Girls Club and more, Lampe said.
Under ARPA, Butler County is slated to receive the second half of its allotment, totaling another $4.1 million, sometime next spring.
“We’ve got five years to spend it, but that’s changeable too,” Lampe said. “With the CARES money, they did that too. They told us ‘you have to have it all spent by December,’ then they gave us until June.”