Olivia P. Tucker
Times Reporter
Scott County Board of Commissioners approved an amended interlocal agreement with Jefferson County to purchase chip seal equipment for the Highway Department and use American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds for the purchase when they met last Wednesday.
The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 granted $1.9 trillion for the country’s recovery from the economic and health effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Scott County has $1,188,623.35 left of ARPA funding to be allocated to where the funding will be spent by Dec. 31 this year then they have until Dec. 31, 2026, to spend the funds, according to Scott County Auditor Jennifer Hamelman.
Commissioners approved an agreement with Jefferson County during a meeting in May, but the agreement was contingent on Jefferson County Attorneys agreeing with the verbiage of the agreement.
County Attorney Zach Stewart said that some things have been changed from the previous agreement that the purchase of the equipment that was originally to be split 50% between the two counties each maintaining an ownership interest. However, Jefferson County already owns two of the three pieces of equipment needed, leaving Scott County to purchase the chip seal equipment. The equipment would be owned by Scott County but would be stored in Jefferson County, said Stewart.
Commissioner Greg Prince said that how the agreement came to be is that Jefferson County’s Board of Commissioner and County Council approved the agreement and the spending of funds for the equipment that they own.
Commissioner President Mike Jones said that this interlocal agreement is a cost saving for the county and that the county really needed to move on with preserving and maintaining the roads of Scott County with chip seal equipment.
Jones said that a year ago the commissioners had allocated a resolution to purchase all chip seal equipment with the use of ARPA for $756,625 but with the current agreement with Jefferson County, the county would only have to spend $410,000.
Commissioners agreed unanimously on the interlocal agreement with Jefferson County and the use of ARPA funds to purchase the chip seal equipment.
The measure now goes to the Scott County Council for funding approval.