Frostburg details plan for ARPA funds
Mar. 8—FROSTBURG — Frostburg's mayor and City Council met recently to discuss how funding received through the American Rescue Plan Act will be used.
As part of the decision-making process, they city conducted a community input survey, with most responses from the over 65 population. Answers were split about 89% to 10% in favor of supporting infrastructure improvements over direct money to projects and groups impacted by the pandemic. Three common responses were the desire to see the funds used on infrastructure, child care and small businesses.
"The final rule changed that up to $10 million of the city's ARPA funding, which is all of Frostburg's ARPA funding, can be used for the provision of general government services," said Elizabeth Stahlman, the city's administrator. "More or less, that means anything the city normally does, the city can use ARPA funding for — the priorities of the community may not necessarily align with what the ARPA survey results show because thing like paving weren't considered."
The city provided a tiered list of needs.
So far, three projects have been completed: $2,925 for labor for wiring required for wireless access points at Washington Ridge Apartments; $19,500 for the vaccine incentive program for city employees; and $15,350 for the transition to online permitting and code enforcement.
The city has 17 projects listed as immediate need projects, of which 13 have been approved. They include an allocation of $290,000 in ARPA funds for administration; $22,640 for COVID-19 sick leave for employees; $822,813 for the Centennial Hill pump station and force main replacement; $150,000 for general sewer work; $150,000 for general water work; $150,000 for general water treatment plan work; $59,435 for the child care and day camp building design project; $400,000 for radio read meter replacement of manual reads; $52,275 for water treatment plant HVAC; $116,800 for disinfectant tank repair at the water treatment plant; $25,000 for the rehabilitation of the Savage well; $520,974 for the purchase of a vacuum truck; and $160,000 toward the rental housing relief program.
The four projects the city officials have yet to approve are $300,000 in ARPA allocations for water treatment plant system upgrades, $400,000 for street paving, $150,000 for the city's comprehensive plan and $25,000 for a VAC truck dry bed.
The total amount of ARPA funds that is estimated to be used for the immediate need projects is $3.8 million.
The full list of projects can be found on the city's website under the meetings portal.
Brandon Glass is a staff writer for the Cumberland Times-News. Follow him on Twitter @Bglass13
