County Legislature Approves Revised $75 Million ARPA Spending Plan

Orange County, New York, passed unanimously a revised spending program of nearly $75 million in federal COVID-19 money on March. 2.

The money was allocated to the county under the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA)—a $1.9 trillion federal pandemic stimulus package signed into law two years ago.

By law, the funds can be used in four primary ways: to replace lost government revenue, respond to the health and economic impacts brought by the pandemic, provide premium pay for essential workers, and invest in infrastructure such as water, sewer, and broadband.

The revised spending plan for the county focuses on technology infrastructure and salaries.

The money is about 30 percent, or $24 Million. It goes to a new building. Currently, the office uses trailers for autopsy rooms and morgues.

An additional $5 million has been earmarked for asbestos removal from the Middletown former Webb Horton house, which is home to the administrative offices of Community College of Orange County.

Technology infrastructure: $6 Million is reserved for the installation of advanced antennas in approximately 30 schools to provide emergency radio coverage. $4.5M will be used for laptops and docking station remote work by county employees. $6M is allocated for enhanced security systems in county buildings.

$16 million will be used to pay sign-on bonuses and overtime payments as well as salaries for county employees.

Equipment purchases for the department of public works take up about $6 million, including big-ticket items such as plow trucks, mowing tractors, and excavators.

County Executive Steve Neuhaus, who proposed the revised spending plan, said in a press release, “These projects will greatly benefit the county government and our residents. I look forward to collaborating with the legislature and our department heads on moving these initiatives forward.”

“I applaud our department heads, who, along with our consultants, formulated a solid list of projects,” Katie Bonelli, County Legislature Chairperson, said in a release. “They addressed the challenges of the criteria and eligibility set forth by the [ARPA] program with careful consideration.”

Disappointments to Minority Party

Before casting a yes vote for the spending plan, legislature Democratic minority leader Michael Paduch expressed his disappointment over not being part of the negotiations.

“Orange County has not promoted or encouraged any community involvement, or even included the entire legislature—its governing body—to be involved in the best uses of our share of those $75 million,” he stated during the Mar. 2 legislative session.

He gave examples of counties that had formed advisory committees and held community town halls to solicit public input about spending ARPA funds.

Democratic legislators Genesis Ramos and Kevindaryán Luján echoed the sentiment, with the latter adding that it would be a good idea to use some money to tackle the housing shortage.

About seven Democrats sit on the 21-member county legislature.

Paduch indicated that he would like to see more public input sessions in the future in order to revise and improve the plan. It must be completed by December 2024, according to law.

Modifications to Original Plan

James O’Donnell, the sole lawmaker representing the Conservative Party within the legislature, said he was disappointed over the exclusion of a new health department building in the revised plan.

This building was part of the original ARPA spending plan and had a cost tag of $23million.

“It was embarrassing to me as a member of the legislature and the former deputy county executive that their reasoning is that they couldn’t get it done in four years,” O’Donnell stated March 2.

Deborah Slesinski, the county budget director, made many changes to the original plan during a February Ways and Means Committee meeting. This was in response to time constraints.

Federal regulations allow local governments until December 2026, to use ARPA funds for full reimbursements.

“Our major concern [is] to not return any money to the federal government,” Slesinski stated.

The original plan was scrapped for the Valley View nursing center sewer project and the health building.

Unspent COVID-19 money, such as test kits, communications and exposures, was estimated to have cost $8 million. It was also reallocated for new projects in the revised plan.