Greenwood officials have allocated the last bit of their nearly $6.6 million in federal relief funds.
City council members unanimously voted 8-0, with member Michael Williams absent, on Monday to approve allocating $220,000 for an information technology services contract and $270,000 for an upcoming road project. The $490,000 in funds comes from the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, or ARPA.
ARPA is a $1.9 trillion COVID-19 stimulus package that delivered direct financial relief to Americans and distributed billions to states to respond to the pandemic and to give to cities, towns and counties. Greenwood received about $6.6 million in ARPA funds in 2021, with the requirement that it be contracted or committed by the end of this year. By the end of 2026, all of the funds must be spent, city officials previously said.
For the $490,000 allocation, $220,000 will be used to to cover professional services costs of the city’s contract with EXOS IT through the end of this year, while the $270,000 will be used for right-of-way-acquisition for the upcoming Main Street Streetscape Project.
For Main Street Streetscape Project, set for next summer, the existing roadway will be completely redone between between Meridian and Polk streets, along with sidewalks. A new 10-foot multi-use trail is planned on the south side of the road from west of the Louisville & Indiana Railroad tracks to Polk Street. Stormwater improvements are also planned, including upgrades and replacements, city officials previously said.
The project at its core is an aesthetic one. New decorative street lights like the ones on the already-improved streets in the area will be installed, along with grass strips between the road and sidewalks where there are currently none, officials said.
No one from the public commented on the latest ARPA expenditures at Monday’s city council meeting, nor at the public hearing earlier this month.
With this latest $490,000 allocation, the city has completely allocated all of its ARPA funds, city controller Greg Wright said last month.
Over the last four years, Greenwood’s $6.6 million in ARPA funds have been used in a variety of ways.
ARPA funds have paid for security at local schools; premium pay for employees; additional costs for fire apparatus; security cameras for the airport, the police training center and the parking garage at The Madison; cybersecurity consultant services; a respirator fit tester for the fire department; an emergency radio booster at the Greenwood Park Mall; a backup generator, fencing and air purification system for the city center; air purification system for the city health clinic; storm siren upgrades; and cybersecurity improvements.
Earlier this year, city officials allocated funds to cover the costs of the Market Plaza improvement project and services for the Main Street improvement project, specifically for right-of-way acquisition.
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