Dalton Gardens could apply for ARPA funds
Grant money from the American Rescue Plan Act could allow Dalton Gardens to add a new roof or a fire alarm system to its City Hall, council members said in a regular meeting Thursday.
RALPH BARTHOLDT/Press file
The Dalton Gardens City Council discussed utilizing for American Rescue Plan Act grant money in a regular meeting Thursday. Council members were positive, overall, toward the idea of accepting from the federal government roughly $550,000 to supplement local projects.
“From the beginning, when ARPA funds first came out, I had some major trepidation associated with ARPA funds,” said Tyler Drechsel, council president and fire marshal. “I had some concerns about future strings attached.”
After doing some research, Drechsel found there weren’t strings in the federal grant money that he could find, and he advised the City Council to apply for it.
“Once the money has been dedicated, once the funds are there, the only stipulation is that you follow the spending guidelines,” Drechsel said.
In order to apply for the grants, the council members will have to decide on a project, then they can compile a packet for the application due at the end of April.
“We’ve got a $60,000 roof that we need to put on this building,” Drechsel said.
The fire marshal wanted to see a fire alarm system in the Dalton Gardens City Hall.
“We could get caught up on the roads,” Councilman Scott Jordan said. “Get a roof. Get a door for the office.”
There were plenty of things council members could think of to spend grant money on, so in the April meeting they'll decide on a shortlist of projects, and likely decide on projects to include in the report process.
“If we don’t use this money, somebody else is going to use it,” Drechsel said. “It’s federal tax dollars and it puts it back in our pockets.”
To maintain ARPA funds, the city would have to have a project with funds allocated to that project, and ARPA would supplement portions of those projects.
Using federal grant money on projects that are already planned and budgeted would free up funds for other city spending.
“Nothing has raised any red flags in my mind,” Drechsel said. “Use it or lose it.”
To maintain ARPA grant money, they have to commit the funds by Dec. 31, 2024, and spend them by Dec. 31, 2026.
*This article has been updated to include the correct name for quotes.