Clark County OKs $71M for pandemic recovery programs

Clark County lawmakers connected Tuesday authorized spending the county’s largest chunk of American Rescue Plan Act assistance to date: More than $71 cardinal to assistance with nationalist health, lodging enactment and different services geared toward a pandemic recovery.

The committee approved $71.5 cardinal successful assistance backing to county departments and much than 30 section nonprofits for programs costing much than $100,000 that tin beryllium up and moving wrong 3 months.

Eighty-one percent of the awards volition payment low-income oregon communities disproportionately affected by the pandemic. The American Rescue Plan Act encouraged section governments to code the terrible effects of the pandemic for low-income communities and radical of color.

It was the 2nd signifier of the county’s rollout of $440 cardinal successful national assistance nether the act, which it received earlier this year. Nearly $90 cardinal has frankincense acold been obligated, according to Chief Financial Officer Jessica Colvin.

The archetypal signifier of funds went toward programs costing little than $100,000 that could motorboat immediately. The remaining funds volition beryllium acceptable speech successful an upcoming 3rd and last signifier for semipermanent programs, specified arsenic imperishable lodging and superior projects.

“Our extremity present is to usage the backing we person received from the national authorities to physique a strong, equitable betterment successful our assemblage and to region immoderate barriers that forestall radical from getting backmost connected their feet,” Commissioner Marilyn Kirkpatrick said successful a statement.

The region had received 79 applications requesting much than $257 cardinal successful backing during the 2nd phase, according to a region unit report. After gathering nationalist input, applications were reviewed and scored based connected criteria that included weighing acquisition and qualifications.

The Foundation Christian Center and St. Jude’s Ranch for Children were awarded $4 cardinal each, the largest grants of each the nonprofits. The Christian halfway volition usage its funds connected tiny concern and economical assistance, according to the county, portion St. Jude plans to conception a healing halfway for victims of enactment trafficking, Commissioner Justin Jones said.

The county’s societal services section received $14 cardinal for shelters to assistance radical experiencing homelessness, the largest grant for a region department.

Meanwhile, the region has allocated $10 cardinal successful funds from the enactment toward COVID-19 mitigation, nearing a self-imposed headdress of astir $15 million. Jones suggested that officials see widening specified spending amid fears that the omicron variant volition pb to a caller surge successful cases.

“Other jurisdictions are expanding their resources for investigating and booster shots,” Jones said.

Contact Shea Johnson astatine sjohnson@reviewjournal.com oregon 702-383-0272. Follow @Shea_LVRJ connected Twitter.