THE BACKSTORY:
A year and a half ago, the Town of Franklin received almost $198,000 under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. Our share of the $350 billion State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds amounts to more than a tenth of our entire annual budget.
Since then, our board has not made use of a single penny. A plan to use these funds must be submitted to the feds by the end of 2024, and then the funds must be spent by the end of 2026.
Otherwise, the money must be returned.
The funds are ear-marked to fight the pandemic, to maintain vital public services, to support families and businesses struggling with its impacts, and to support recovery by investing in long-term growth and opportunity. In particular, for growth and opportunity, money can be spent on infrastructure for water, sewer, or broadband. See Coronavirus State & Local Fiscal Recovery Funds: Overview of the Final Rule (PDF download) from the U.S. Department of the Treasury.
The Local Government ARPA Investment Tracker (funded by NACo, Brookings Metro, and the National League of Cities) shows that as of the end of last year, 75 percent of SLFRF dollars for large cities and counties have been obligated and budgeted.
THE CHALLENGE:
Why not help get this process going?
How do you think this $200K should be spent to most benefit the townspeople of Franklin?
For example, the water system in the hamlet needs major improvements, there are unaddressed problems with the sewage in the village, and there are still homes that are beyond the reach of the fiber-optic network — water, sewer, and broadband.
What does Franklin need most?
Give it some thought. But don’t sit on those thoughts, take action! Make a suggestion. Propose a project. Let your voice be heard. Maybe you can make something happen!
Reach out with your ideas to supervisor Taggart at 607-829-8590 or townsupervfranklin@gmail.com.