The Saline County Commission geared up for a critical decision regarding the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Fire District Assistance. Request for Action #2024-14 outlined the county's initiative to allocate funds from the Coronavirus Local Fiscal Recovery Fund (CLFRF) to rural fire districts for significant capital investments.
The ARPA, signed into law on March 11, 2021, allocated $10,532,376 to Saline County through CLFRF. Following a public input process and subsequent revisions, the county adopted a plan for CLFRF expenditure on August 31, 2021. The concept of providing CLFRF-funded assistance to rural fire districts gained traction on July 11, 2023, and was solidified on November 21, 2023, with the reallocation of funds and directions to make $500,000 available to fire districts.
The Fire District Capital Assistance Program was rolled out in December, with a due date of January 4, 2024. Six districts with volunteer firefighters responded with requests totaling $522,200. To address the requests, staff recommended awarding $95,000 to each of the four districts that requested the maximum amount, $62,000 to District 7, and $58,000 to District 5, contingent upon compliance with specific conditions.
The conditions include the signing of contracts for equipment or services by the Board of County Commissioners, submission of a detailed budget and scope of work for each project, and certification of a plan by each district for securing any remaining funds required to complete their projects. These conditions, important for federal compliance, were initially omitted from the project solicitation.
The commission faced several alternatives for action, including making awards in varying amounts or not awarding capital assistance funds at all. Staff strongly recommended the equitable distribution of available funds, considering it the most effective way to achieve the program's objectives.
Expenditures of CLFRF, as per State law, are not subject to the county's adopted budget, ensuring sufficient funds for the recommended awards. The outcome of the commission's decision was revealed during the commission meeting on January 23, 2024, at 9:00 AM in a 5-0 approval vote.
