September 1, 2021
Boulder County Commissioners Provide Progress Report and Announce Opportunities for Public Input on Federal COVID-19 Relief Funding
Website, survey, and public meetings now available to constituents
Boulder County, Colo. -- The Boulder County Commissioners (BOCC) yesterday provided a Recovery Plan progress report on how federal COVID-19 relief funds have been invested in the community to date. The BOCC approved an initial allocation of $5 million to address immediate community public health and economic needs from the State and Local Fiscal Recovery Fund (SLFRF), a provision of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) signed into law on March 11. This allocation continues the investments in community support that began in 2020 with a prior allocation of federal relief funding. Boulder County was allocated $63,359,749 from the SLFRF.
The County Commissioners are committed to hearing from the community on the most pressing needs in pandemic response and recovery, and how to make best use of the remaining federal funds for long-term community needs and investments. Commissioners will be providing a number of opportunities for community engagement and input, starting with:
- A virtual Town Hall on Thursday, Sept. 9, from 5:30 to 7 p.m. including simultaneous Spanish and ASL interpretation, and
- An online community survey that will be available in English, Spanish, and Nepali, at bouldercountysurvey.com.
More information on both of these opportunities, and future ones, can be found at American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) - Boulder County This site also provides additional information and background on the use of federal funding and how the Commissioners have allocated those funds to date. Input also can be provided at ARPAinput@bouldercounty.org.
ARPA includes extensive reporting provisions for local governments to receive those funds, with the initial Recovery Plan Performance Report from jurisdictions with populations of 250,000 or more due on Aug. 31, 2021. Boulder County’s initial report describes response and recovery efforts to date, community engagement and planning efforts, consideration of equity impacts and outcomes, actual and planned uses of funds, and other required information.
“The pandemic has been an unparalleled challenge for our community, but it also has created an opportunity to have a conversation about how we are going to recover in a way that makes our community stronger while addressing historic issues of inequity,” the Board of County Commissioners said. “In many ways we have made a lot of progress in recovering from the depths of this pandemic, yet we recognize that there are vast differences in the pace and quality of the recovery for different parts of the community. We are looking forward to working with residents and businesses throughout Boulder County for an equitable, durable, sustainable recovery.”
Boulder County has received half of a total allocation of $63,359,749 with the second half anticipated mid-2022. The federal funds being made available to Boulder County are limited by the allowable uses defined by the Treasury Department:
- Support urgent COVID-19 public health response efforts to continue to decrease spread of the virus;
- Support immediate economic stabilization for households and businesses;
- Address systemic public health and economic challenges that have contributed to the inequal impact of the pandemic;
- Replace lost revenue for governments to strengthen vital public services and help retain jobs; and
- Make infrastructure investments in broadband, clean water, and wastewater facilities.
All funds must be obligated by the end of the year 2024 and spent by the end of 2026.
For more information on Boulder County’s use of federal COVID-19 response funds, and opportunities for public engagement, please visit:American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) - Boulder County.
For more information on federal requirements relating use of COVID relief funds, please visit https://home.treasury.gov/policy-issues/coronavirus/assistance-for-state-local-and-tribal-governments/state-and-local-fiscal-recovery-funds.
