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$2.5M in ARPA funds obligated in Clayton County so far

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By Willis Patenaude, Times-Register

 

In March 2021, while Covid-19 was causing economic harm, President Joe Biden signed into law the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), labeled as “one of the largest economic relief programs in U.S. history.” One of its intentions was to support communities as they struggled to manage the pandemic and assist in funding projects related to infrastructure, public safety and social services. 

 

In total, it has provided nearly $4.5 billion in funds to the state of Iowa, while individual counties, like Clayton County, received just over $3.4 million in ARPA funds. Of that original amount, a little less than $1 million remains as the board of supervisors comprised of Ray Peterson, Sharon Keehner and Steve Doeppke approved and allocated funds to over 40 projects in the previous two years. 

 

Over that same time period, the ability to use the funds for a variety of projects became simpler. In March 2022, it was no longer about just Covid mitigation, but all projects could be designated as lost revenue, eliminating a cumbersome process that required projects tick off certain boxes in cumbrous formula. 

 

One of those approved projects was document and imaging services, which has cost over $152,000. The purpose of this project, according to Keehner, who was the only supervisor to provide comments and whose term recently ended, was to provide for the “permanent storage of important documents in case of a disaster.” It also allows the county to offer more online services, which was deemed insufficient during the pandemic.

 

“We looked at other counties and realized we could improve our online services by digitizing our records,” Keehner said.

 

Clayton County Auditor and Commissioner of Elections Jennifer Garms shared similar reasoning behind the funds being used for such a project. It encompassed several departments, including the auditor, records and health and zoning and included thousands of pages dating as far back as the 1800s. 

 

Garms noted money has been budgeted in previous years to accomplish this goal, but it’s always been on a smaller scale. The introduction of ARPA allowed the county to speed up the tedious process. Along with preventing document loss, having all of the documents scanned and uploaded to an online service makes disaster recovery more efficient. Due to the enormity of the project, Garms also stated it is still ongoing. 

 

Another project that received funds was updating the outdated IT security systems in the court house, office building and jail, with the possible addition of other locations. The project has consumed roughly $145,000 of the ARPA funds. According to Garms, the importance was to modernize the infrastructure, allow for future expansion in an “ever growing IT world” and to make the system more compatible. 

 

When it comes to this project, as well as other projects related to technology, Keehner specifically stated the purpose was to “modernize the county” and keep Clayton County moving forward in this new technological age.

 

Additionally, about $20,000 went to replacing the backlog of street signs, road signs and address signs that has accumulated in the county. The project, which is still ongoing, is estimated to include a few hundred signs that will eventually be replaced due to factors such as a loss of reflectability, damage or, on the rare occasion, theft. 

 

One of the largest projects was the $200,000 put toward replacing the sheriff’s office roof, which had come into disrepair with leaks and insulation issues. 

 

Another lower budget expenditure was on furniture in the amount of over $53,000. Keehner explained the project as being the result of Covid.

 

“It was essential to restructure a few offices to allow for social distancing and providing permanent barriers between our workers and the public,” she said. “That was one of the goals of the ARPA money by the federal government.”

 

According to Garms, the furniture purchased included chairs, desks, tables and other items spread around multiple offices, including the auditor, assessor and county office building. The treasurer’s office also remains a possibility for updated furniture. 

 

One of the reasons for the auditor’s office was a lack of space, something which was highlighted during the pandemic and the election of 2020. Another reason given by Garms was to enhance the public meeting room, making it more accessible and better equipped to meet the community’s needs. It all goes back to the pandemic, social distancing and creating open spaces, which prevents “people blockades” in the office. 

 

Two of the more notable projects include the $82,000 obligated for the Phase 3 power supply at the Osborne Conservation Center and the over $208,000 given to MCM Consulting for the upcoming 911 communications project. 

 

Starting with the latter, Keehner justified the use of funds for MCM by stating, “This fee was for the 911 Commission to hire a consultant to help them with the new radio system…The current system was built in the late 70s and early 80s and does not function well in today’s new radio environment.  It is an analog system in a digital environment.”

 

Clayton County 911 Coordinator Samantha Rumph provided additional information about the MCM hiring and what was provided, expressing how “vital” a consulting company is when “seeking informed, unbiased advice.” 

 

According to Rumph, MCM was hired to do a radio needs assessment, write a request for proposal and develop a strategic plan for the future of the county’s radio system. That assessment “evaluated the functionality of our current system, assessed where we want our system to be and showed us what needs to be done to achieve that,” Rumph said. 

 

Rumph added that “MCM has knowledge and experience with all emerging wireless mission critical communications technologies utilized in the public safety arena, including critical radio system infrastructure, subscriber hardware, RF system design, radio propagation and frequency research, microwave, RF control link design, voice logging, paging and alerting systems, radio interoperability and tower site construction. They also have an FCC expert on staff to assist with FCC regulations and licensing.”

 

The project, once completed, should increase the reliability and interoperability. As Garms joked, the county will no longer need to rely on “duct tape and band aids” because they’re building infrastructure that will last. 

 

Now for the former, the Phase 3 power supply at Osborne, was a need identified a few years ago. It came about after the conservation board requested ARPA funds in an effort to preempt the expected campground project and to overcome the area being a “dead zone,” or simply lacking in power output. 

 

According to Jenna Pollock, executive director of the Clayton County Conservation Board, with the possible addition of the campground, “It became clear that we might encounter power supply issues due to our current system.”

 

“Bringing three-phase electric power to Osborne will ensure we have sufficient power to operate the nature center, out buildings and campground.  Three-phase power offers some flexibility for room to expand our operation and offers some security that we won’t experience shortages when the system is inundated with demand for power,” Pollock said. 

 

Although Pollock acknowledged the $80,000 price tag and the dent it makes in the available ARPA funds, the project, in her estimation, is a “necessary improvement to expand county facilities.” She argued it could “pay dividends for neighbors along the expansion route that need to tie into the system in the future.” 

 

Furthermore, there is an expectation that, with the likely addition of the campground, it will spur economic activity in the county, something that was already seen over the course of the previous three years as camping saw an increase throughout the seven campgrounds in the region. 

 

The other aspect to the project, as noted by Garms, is the fact Osborne is designated as the backup facility, which would likely require additional power if it was ever needed during an emergency event. 

 

Of course, ARPA funds have been used for a litany of other projects as well, including the EMA building, which will centralize the emergency management equipment currently spread around the county, as well as provide for a drive-thru vaccination clinic or a drive-thru voting facility in the event of another pandemic. 

 

Then there is the Clayton County Court House maintenance that included refinished floors, new phone systems and updated security cameras, as well as improvements to the county office building such as installing solar on the roof. Not to mention duct cleaning, sewer repair, water heater replacement, monument reconnaissance, a drinking fountain and geopermits, among other things. 

 

All the projects were funded with the intent “to help modernize the county and prepare it for future pandemics,” Keehner said.   

 

“The money also represents lost revenue the county encountered during the pandemic.  We also looked at what maintenance was needed to buildings. We evaluated what was necessary and would have to be completed in the near future. We looked at what could save the county in the future,” Keehner added. 

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