HomeMy WebLinkAbout20212289.tiffHEARING CERTIFICATION
DOCKET NO. 2021-48
RE: PUBLIC HEARING TO CONSIDER USE OF CORONAVIRUS STATE AND LOCAL
FISCAL RECOVERY FUNDS UNDER THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT OF 2021
A public hearing was conducted on July 28, 2021, at 9:00 a.m., with the following present:
Commissioner Steve Moreno, Chair
Commissioner Scott K. James, Pro -Tern
Commissioner Perry L. Buck
Commissioner Mike Freeman
Commissioner Lori Saine - EXCUSED
Also present:
Acting Clerk to the Board, Esther E. Gesick
County Attorney, Bruce T. Barker
Director of Finance and Administration, Donald D. Warden
The following business was transacted:
El I hereby certify that pursuant to a notice dated July 14, 2021, and duly published July 16,
2021, in the Greeley Tribune, a public hearing was conducted to consider use of Coronavirus
State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. Bruce
Barker, County Attorney, made this a matter of record. Chair.Moreno reviewed for the public, the
procedures to follow, should this hearing result in a tie vote due to four Commissioners being
present and Commissioner Saine being excused.
Don Warden, Director of the Department of Finance and Administration, displayed a
PowerPoint presentation and explained in March 2021, Congress passed the American Rescue
Plan Act (ARPA) of 2021, through which Weld County will receive funding to be expended over
the next two (2) years. He stated the ARPA Fund was established to provide direct allocations to
help local jurisdictions financially address the economic fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic, and
he reviewed the five primary ways the funds may be used. Mr. Warden stated the funds must be
justified and used to recover costs incurred between March 3, 2021, and December 31, 2024,
with all work to be completed by December 31, 2026. He reported, in April 2021, Weld County
was awarded the first half ($31,514,383.50) of the total allocation of $63,028,767.00, and using
the ARPA Revenue Replacement Calculator formula, Weld County can justify use of the entire
amount received in the first year, with a like amount expected in 2022. He commended Assistant
Controller, Chris D'Ovidio, and the other Accounting Department staff for tracking the County's
revenue losses (including Oil and Gas property taxes, reduced Severance taxes, and other
related Highway User Tax Fund [HUTF] items) and costs incurred during the COVID-19 Pandemic
resulting in a documented revenue reduction of $70,085,612.00. Mr. Warden proposed, in 2021
and 2022, a portion of the funds be applied to the Public Works Fund for road and bridge capital
projects to avoid deferring projects in future years, as well as in the General Fund to provide
general governmental services, such as added jail costs related to COVI D-19, as well as capital
facility projects. He reviewed the remaining slides detailing other American Rescue Act Programs
benefiting citizens. In response to Chair Moreno, Mr. Warden indicated he would research the
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2021-2289
FI0074
HEARING CERTIFICATION - USE OF CORONAVIRUS STATE AND LOCAL FISCAL
RECOVERY FUNDS UNDER THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT
PAGE 2
deadline for use of the Emergency Rental Assistance funds. He noted the State has also approved
$70 million for various other programs which he reviewed for the record. Chair Moreno
commended Mr. Warden and the numerous other staff involved to identify best use of the funds.
to In response to Chair Moreno, Mr. Warden reported most of the other Big 10 Counties are
utilizing their funds to compensate for lost revenues, which provides the most flexibility.
Commissioner Freeman commented some of the jurisdictions are going to face challenges in the
future if they use the funds to create new social programs that will not have ongoing funding in
the future. In response to Commissioner Freeman, Mr. Warden confirmed any unused funds will
have to be returned, which some legislators are hoping can be used to pay for the cost of the
Infrastructure Bill, rather than raising taxes. Responding to Commissioner Buck, Mr. Warden
stated Weld County has been able to use the Loss of Revenue category to successfully justify full
use of the funds for governmental services, whereas, the criteria of the other categories is
extremely complicated with required goals, performance measurables, and documented social
equity within the community. He reiterated the funds must be allocated by December 31, 2024,
and then the projects must be completed, and all bills paid by December 31, 2026.
No public input was offered concerning this matter.
Commissioner James moved to approve the proposed Plan for Use of Coronavirus State
and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds Received from the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, as
presented by the Department of Finance and Administration, to Replace Public Sector Revenue
Loss: Use funds to provide government services to the extent of the reduction in revenue
experienced during the Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic. The motion was seconded by
Commissioner Buck, and it carried unanimously. There being no further discussion, the hearing
was adjourned at 9:40 a.m.
This Certification was approved on the 2nd day of August, 2021.
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
WELD COUNTY, COLORADO
ATTEST: datif4AJ G �C,�ca•�
Weld County Clerk to the Board
BY:
eputy Clerk to the Board
Steve •reno, C -'r
mes, Pro-Te
Perry L. Bu
Mike Freeman
EXCUSED
Lori Saine
2021-2289
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