Sheboygan County Administrator Adam Payne shares the importance of collaboration when looking at how to use ARPA funds
Sheboygan County’s impressive track record of public-private collaboration laid the groundwork for a rapid mobilization of people, ideas and action to address COVID 19 challenges and opportunities.
Sheboygan County Website: https://www.sheboygancounty.com/
Excerpt from Sheboygan County Website regarding ARPA Collaboration Taskforces:
American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA)
The American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) was enacted on March 11, 2021. ARPA provides $1.9 trillion nationally in funding. Of the $1.9 trillion, the State of Wisconsin is eligible for $2.5 billion and Sheboygan County is eligible for $22.4 million. Counties have until December 31, 2024 to obligate the ARPA funding.
The use of these ARPA funds must be well thought out and we want to make wise, impactful investments. To establish a process that will facilitate community input and help us leverage resources to more effectively problem-solve, six ARPA Taskforces have been formed to assess and develop recommendations to help address key local concerns and opportunities.
The following are the ARPA Taskforces that were established on August 17, 2021, and below is a brief description of each:
The ARPA Taskforces will meet over the coming months to explore opportunities, make recommendations, and identify funding sources to leverage for optimal community impact. In addition to the County allocation, nearly every day a new grant announcement is being made from a state or federal agency. The County Administrator's office is maintaining a comprehensive list of grants, and recently formed a grant oversight committee.
The ARPA Taskforces will provide a written report summarizing their recommendations to the SCEDC Board of Directors, City of Sheboygan Common Council, Heads of Local Government, and Sheboygan County Board by January 31, 2022. The County has established a timeline to make decisions regarding both internal County department recommendations and external ARPA Taskforce recommendations.
