The Courier of Montgomery reports that funding for overruns in Montgomery county will come from the final American Rescue Plan Act dollars. Montgomery County Commissioners approved the move. On top of the list—the $21 million Tamina Water project.
Budget Officer Amanda Carter, during the court’s Tuesday session, presented several projects that would diminish the remaining $2.3 million ahead of the December 31st deadline.
Carter said they are trying finish up on some of the projects, so they don’t have to send the money back.
The American Plan Rescue Act of 2021 distributed $114 million to Montgomery County. The funds were used for the benefit of many residents.
The projects, according to Carter, break down to $1.1 million for the Tamina projects, $1.07 million for cyber security projects, $307,355 for body cameras for mental health deputies and $1.1 million for stormwater projects.
Also approved by the court were upgrades to the Emergency Operations Center and additional supplies for the county’s Office of Emergency Management, pending cost estimates and remaining funds.
Carter said, at their December 17th meeting, she will present those numbers to commissioners.
Twenty-one million dollars in funds were earmarked by the county to provide water and sewer service to Tamina. This was in partnership with the city of Shenandoah.
On the planned project, while in existence for years, county commissioners okayed an interlocal agreement with Shenandoah back in December of 2021 to utilize the funds to make available services to all homes in Tamina, with the addition of 57 fire hydrants to the community.
The project will require about three years to complete and is underway.
To address the mental health crisis, the funds also helped the county in several areas to help expand services locally.
The court approved, back in 2021, Precinct 1 Constable Phillip Cash’s addition of 10 more mental health unit deputies. The court also approved giving County Attorney B.D. Griffin another position to help the process in the increase in mental illness.
