A federal stimulus package, the Americas Relief Plan Act of 2021, poured money into communities to offset some of the economic and public health impacts of the pandemic. Local governments such as Santa Cruz County and the City of Nogales have decided how the cash will be distributed.

At a public meeting last Tuesday, the county board of oversight unanimously approved a plan to allocate about $1.7 million of the remaining ARPA funds. $1 million will be used to repair the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning of the county complex. An additional $100,000 will be allocated for firefighting and $450,000 for roof repairs. His final $150,000 will fund the construction of a staff parking lot at the courthouse.

The overall spending plan, labeled as Option 1 in county documents, leaves only a fraction of ARPA funds ($31,000).

The three supervisors were weighing several options for the final COVID relief fund. One arrangement sought to fund a geographic information system for the county assessor’s office.

Another plan included funding the Tubac and Sonoita-Elgin fire districts.

Supervisors did not discuss why they preferred option 1. Shortly before the vote, however, the board held a study session.

“We have about $31,000 left,” he said, about 10 minutes before the vote took place. The County He Complex renovation proposal was the only option involving a surplus of $31,000.

Ruiz put forward a motion to approve the plan, which was swiftly and unanimously approved.

Since receiving the $9 million, Santa Cruz County has allocated that money to a number of economic stimulus projects.

Towards the end of 2021, the county has used a portion of ARPA funds for its Vaccine Incentive Program, providing government employees with a $500 bonus to get vaccinated.

In January 2022, the county committed $1 million to an Internet expansion initiative with service provider Valley Telecommunications. Ongoing projects will install fiber optic infrastructure to serve residents of Patagonia, Sonoita and Elgin.

Last May, the county used $500,000 of ARPA funds to allocate grants to 16 local nonprofits. Then, in October, more than 70 businesses across the county received loans totaling nearly $1 million. To receive the funding, eligible nonprofits and businesses went through a months-long application process.

Last Tuesday’s study session unfolded like a typical county board of supervisors meeting, with a calm atmosphere, but one resident claimed he felt excluded from the process.

Marcelino Varona Jr. said:

In remarks during the session, Varona called for the county to allocate $30,000 of remaining ARPA funds to the Senior Santa Cruz Council, an organization whose community centers provide meals and other services to seniors. .

Still, the supervisor noted one glaring fact. That is, Varona never applied for his ARPA funding in the first place.

“I haven’t applied. And I’ll tell you why I didn’t apply,” Varona said. It was clear to me.”

“That’s art,” he added later. “So if you look at the recommended funding, you basically know where the money went.”

However, the funds were awarded to a variety of non-profit organizations, including housing justice organizations, environmental restoration groups, and after-school programs for local children. Departmental arts groups did receive funding, although they were not the majority of grant recipients.

Additionally, the supervisors emphasized that they did not select the organization themselves, but delegated responsibility to the Southern Arizona Community Foundation, which selected the recipients of the grant.

“I’m sorry you feel that way,” supervisor Bruce Blacker told Varona.

With $31,000 left in the county’s ARPA reserve, Ruiz wondered if Varona could apply for funding now.

County manager Jennifer St. John, who serves on the Council on Aging board, said allowing Barona to apply after the fact would set a “dangerous precedent.”

“We can clearly see that, but there are nonprofits that hit their deadlines that weren’t funded,” she noted. Conflicts may arise for entities that submit information in a timely manner.”

Supervisors agreed that funding for aging councils could be a topic for the future.

“But as for this program,” said Blacker, “I think the ship has sailed.”

City Funds Allocated

Like Santa Cruz County, the city of Nogales received millions of dollars from the American Relief Plan Act. However, the two government agencies differed greatly in how they allocated funds.

The county has used ARPA funds for several community projects. However, Nogales city leaders chose to use the funds for his two purposes: police and fire pensions, and city operations.

“A lot of people came to me and said, ‘I went to the city. My business is in the city and I wanted to apply (for funding),'” Lewis said last week. “[The city]said, ‘We have to go to the county. The county will pay for it,'” he said at a conference on Tuesday.

Last year, the city used the first installment of the ARPA fund (approximately $3.35 million) to pay police and fire pensions. Then, in November, the city called a special last-minute meeting to determine the fate of the final ARPA installation. An additional $3.35 million. During the meeting, the city council narrowly passed a bill that would allocate the remaining millions of dollars to seven city departments: police, fire, parks and recreation, planning and zoning, roads, and water and sewage. However, the city has not disclosed how the funds will be used within each department.

Since then, the city’s mayoral administration has changed, and so far, one city council meeting has concluded, so the new city council has not discussed the issue further.

While he did not directly mention ARPA funding in his inaugural address, new mayor Jorge Maldonado promised a more transparent spending pattern from the city.

“We have to show the community what we do for them,” he said at the time. is,” he said.