Livingston received $37 million in COVID-19 aid. Here's what they're doing with it, so far
LIVINGSTON COUNTY — Livingston County is in the process of allocating more than $37 million received in federal COVID-19 relief, funding projects from county departments to community projects.
The county received $37,292,778 from the federal American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, known as ARPA funding. It started the process of deciding where to allocate that money last year.
While the Livingston County Board of Commissioners has granted final funding approvals to some projects, they will continue to vote this year and likely next year. Counties have until the end of 2024 to decide how ARPA funds will be used and until the end 2026 to spend them.
"We got started with the process last year, and we have until 2026 to spend everything," Livingston County Administrator Nathan Burd said. "We spent the bulk of 2022 collecting ideas and feedback from people across the county, and had an ARPA request process."
More than 120 funding proposals came in, far too many to fund, according to county documents. The proposals asked for more than $85 million, more than twice the amount county received.
In December, the county board passed a resolution that Burd said created a "roadmap for ARPA spending," for requests that had not already been approved.
Burd said county officials could decide to reallocate funds or use them differently, but they have been following the roadmap.
"So far, so good on making progress this year," he said. "Up to this point, everything that’s been put forward has been approved."
How Livingston County is using ARPA funds
The majority of the county's ARPA money will fund projects for county departments, including a new ambulance base in Fowlerville, upgrades for the jail and county sheriff's department and an upgraded telephone system for 911 Central Dispatch, among others.
County officials also identified more projects in the roadmap, including more than $12 million for expanding broadband internet access.
"We’re going to try to build off the existing trunk line, and then private companies can utilize that trunk link to cover more of the county (with broadband service)," Burd said, adding that the county is pursuing other grants.
The Livingston Family Center and six senior centers in the county will also benefit from ARPA funds, and several other organizations are identified on the county's roadmap.
"We’ll be working on other external expenditures going forward," Burd said.
In addition, the county designated $10 million to cover lost revenue. It is also projected to spend more than $18 million on ARPA-eligible expenses that would have normally come from its general fund budget, so the county created a contingency fund.
"We're putting unused general funds into that account," Burd said. "If any general funds are saved using ARPA, we can do additional projects down the road."
Here's what the county is doing with its ARPA windfall.
County departments
Livingston County EMS is allotted $1.85 million in ARPA funding in the roadmap, with thousands already approved:
$280,000 to purchase 200 N. Grand St. in Fowlerville for an ambulance base
$40,000 for renovation designs and construction at the ambulance base
$19,000 for technology and security enhancements at the ambulance base
The Livingston County Sheriff's Office is set to receive a total of $1.75 million in the roadmap for service enhancement projects, including approved funds:
$232,000 to upgrade the intercom system at the Livingston County Jail
$175,000 to upgrade jail cameras
$46,451 for a 3D scanner
$34,800 to upgrade mobile device investigation tools
$6,484 for mobile fingerprint readers
Broadband internet expansion-related expenses will be the largest request. The county Information Technology department is slated to get more than $12.55 million on the roadmap. Several IT projects have already been approved for ARPA funding:
$685,000 to upgrade cybersecurity
$125,000 for fiber optic planning and consulting
$98,130 for equipment
$80,559 for the county's broadband survey
$25,000 for E-Rate consulting
Livingston County 911 Central Dispatch is allotted $1.5 million, including $568,193 in approved funds to upgrade the telephone system and contract.
Facilities Services is allotted more than $1.62 million on the roadmap, the majority to upgrade the judicial center. County officials approved $1,490,881 to replace HVAC equipment and control systems throughout the Livingston County Judicial Center and Law Center building.
More than $6.17 million is allotted to county drains, including one new system and improvements to others. Approved ARPA-funded drain projects include:
$700,000 to install a new drainage system from Fenton Township into Tyrone Township
$350,000 for the wastewater collection system on Van Buren Road in Handy Township
$125,000 for the Howell City Drain
$82,500 for Handy No. 7 and 13 county drains in Handy Township
$40,000 for Oceola No. 1 drain in Oceola Township
$25,000 for a drainage system under Oak Grove Road in Cohoctah Township
$20,000 for the Howell No. 5 county drain
$14,000 for a drainage system near Durand and Lovejoy roads in Cohoctah Township
$12,500 for a drainage system north of Ellis Road in Cohoctah Township
The Livingston County Clerk's legal division will use $243,125 in approved funding to convert rolls of microfilm containing historic court records into a digital format. A total of $1,235,936 is allotted to county courts in the roadmap.
The county Fiscal Services Department is allotted $5 million in the roadmap, including $553,725 of approved funding for past COVID-19 sick-leave pay. The Human Resources Department's request for $86,405 for a wage study has also been approved, as has a $120,000 request from the County Clerk for vital records projects.
The roadmap also identifies $1.85 million in funds for the Livingston County Animal Shelter for a new facility expansion. County administration will also use $300,000 for ARPA consulting fees.
Community programs
Two community programs are already approved for county ARPA funding, and the county has identified several others in the roadmap. The county set aside a total of $1.26 million for community programs, including $400,000 for projects not specified in the roadmap.
The Livingston Family Center will replace the roof at the agency's emergency youth shelter and abate an area of asbestos found in the shelter with $23,560 in approved funds.
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The six senior centers in the county will each receive a share of $412,058 in ARPA funds. Centers in Brighton, Fowlerville, Hamburg Township, Howell and Putnam Township will each receive $69,000, while the Hartland Senior Center will receive $67,058. In addition, $36,000 was approved for a marketing professional to serve all six centers for 10 hours a month for three years.
Brighton Senior Center will pay a part-time activities coordinator for three years.
Fowlerville Senior Center will hire part-time instructors in the center's health and wellness, recreation and arts programs and support staff, as well as funding educational events, painting and carpet cleaning.
Hamburg Senior Center plans to purchase ADA-accessible doors, new furniture, moveable wall partitions and new vinyl plant flooring.
Hartland Senior Center will cover the cost of 10 additional hours for its program assistant and purchase new flip-top tables, chairs, chair carts and replacement wireless head microphone packs.
Howell Senior Center will fund a part-time fitness instructor, L.E.T.S. transports for seniors to and from the center, monthly charter bus social trips, monthly presenters and fitness equipment.
Putnam Township Senior Center applied for funds for a part-time position for outreach and additional programming along with a patio expansion with outdoor seating and pickleball courts. The center also applied for funding for a smart TV, a commercial-grade coffee maker, speakers and a sound system, desktop computers, lending library bookcases, a microwave and to help paying for kitchen cabinets.
Livingston Leadership Council on Aging was appointed by the board to help the senior centers prepare their funding applications.
In addition, the following organizations applied for county ARPA funds and are identified on the roadmap:
$150,000 for Reaching Higher, Inc. programs at each of the five school districts in the county
$100,000 for Livingston County Senior Nutrition for senior breakfast meals
$56,000 for the Salvation Army's summer lunch program
$40,000 for Community Mental Health Authority for mental health outreach support and education
$20,000 for Bountiful Harvest to feed those in need in the county
$20,000 for the Howell Nature Center for an outdoor teen activity center
$4,000 for the Family Emergency Readiness Expo
Contact Livingston Daily reporter Jennifer Eberbach at jeberbach@livingstondaily.com.
This article originally appeared on Livingston Daily: Livingston County got $37M in COVID-19 aid. Here's how its being used
