Trillions in COVID-19 relief funds have gone out to local governments across the country, including more than $6.6 million to Franklin.
The city received more than $819,100 from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, the first of the relief packages, and the city has received about half of the $5.7 million it is expected to get from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA).
CARES Act money was spent by the end of 2020, and ARPA priorities are still being developed, said Jayne Rhoades, the city’s clerk-treasurer.
Most of the money from the CARES Act was used to reimburse the city for public safety pay, which was higher than normal due to the extra overtime police and firefighters worked during the pandemic. The city paid back about $726,247 of the $3.3 million spent on public safety salaries between March and September of 2020, according to city records.
The remaining $92,892 was spent on personal protective equipment, sanitizer, cleaning supplies, COVID-19 signage, audiovisual equipment and other items, city records show. Department heads asked for reimbursements on expenses that would not have been incurred if not for the pandemic, Mayor Steve Barnett said.
Shortly after the city received initial guidance on how ARPA funds could be spent Barnett presented a working list of projects to the Franklin City Council. The list has not come back before the council for a vote because several of the projects are under design to determine the costs and feasibility of using ARPA funds, a different funding source or a combination of sources, Barnett said.
Franklin Parks and Recreation is a priority, Barnett said.
The department lost an estimated $715,000 due to canceled events and summer camps, closed rental spaces, a partial pool season and other consequences of the pandemic, said Chip Orner, parks director.
Several infrastructure projects are being looked at for the rest of the funding, but cost estimates and designs are still being prepared, Barnett said. Possible projects include renovations at Franklin Fire Station No. 21, razing and rebuilding the Active Adult Center and upgrading the city’s sewer system.
The city is paying Cripe Architects Engineers, of Indianapolis, $73,172 for design and preplanning of the Station 21 remodel, and $74,900 for the same work on the Active Adult Center project.
The city may also help fund two Franklin Development Corporation projects to restore homes at 280 Circle Drive and 650 Hurricane Street. With the money, the city could help the development corporation fix up and get two low-priced homes back on the market, Barnett said.
Each of the infrastructure projects are a priority for Barnett and are likely to occur later if there is not enough money available from ARPA.
Sewer updates are specially mentioned as projects local governments can use the money for in the legislation. Other projects are justified because fire departments and senior citizens were both hit hard by the pandemic, though in different ways, he said.
At Station 21, firefighters found it difficult to socially distance because the station has a small common area and does not have private rooms like the city’s other two stations, Barnett said.
The new Active Adult Center would include a wellness area, and as such, be renamed the Active Adult and Wellness Center. The center would offer vaccines, blood pressure and blood sugar tests through a collaboration with a local health care provider, he said.
There is still plenty of time for Franklin officials to decide how to spend the money. Funds have to be committed or assigned to a particular project by the end of 2024, with all funds to be spent by the end of 2026.
Plans will be submitted to the city council when more information about the costs of each project is available, and after the city’s lawyers review the project list for compliance, Barnett said.
“We are working on a plan, but I want to make sure to get everything right,” he said. “When we get audited, they won’t say we shouldn’t have spent it on that.”
By the numbers
Here is a look at COVID-19 relief spending by the city of Franklin:
CARES Act
Total: $819,140.00
Salary reimbursement: $726,247.97
Items reimbursement: $92,892.03
ARPA
Total: $5,781,583.10
Amount received: $2,890,791.55
Amount spent: $0
Source: City of Franklin
