County proposes leveraging COVID-19 recovery funds to water and sewer projects, day care

Additional stimulus aid will pump more than $2 million into infrastructure projects within Rock County.
The federal government’s American Rescue Plan (ARP) will deliver $350 billion across the U.S. in response to the COVID-19 emergency and stimulate job development.
Rock County will receive $1.8 million over two years. Deadline to commit the dollars to approved projects is 2024.
Rock County commissioners met in an Aug. 17 afternoon work session to discuss where the dollars should be spent.
In 2020 the commissioners distributed $1.1 million in coronavirus recovery dollars over a six-month period. Commissioners focused on distributing money to small businesses affected by the pandemic.
ARP dollars can be spent for:
•supporting public health response.
•replacing public sector revenue loss.
•water and sewer infrastructure.
•negative economic impacts.
•premium pay for essential workers.
•broadband infrastructure.
Commissioners identified a need in three areas: invest in water and sewer infrastructure, support public health response, and address negative economic impacts.
They gauged interest in where the county could spend the ARP money with the small city mayors of Hills, Beaver Creek, Magnolia, Hardwick, Steen and Kenneth. The city of Luverne had a council representative at the Aug. 17 evening meeting.
Commissioners took no formal action as the federal dollars would be spent.
County Administrator Kyle Oldre told the mayors that the commissioners are interested in partnering with another entity or entities to fund a community day care center.
“The board is interested in doing something with bricks and mortar,” he said. “If we’re going to grow the workforce long term, we are going to need that day care piece.”
Currently commissioners earmarked 10 percent (or $180,000) toward addressing the negative economic impact the shortage of day care options creates.
Another 10 percent (or $180,000) of the county’s $1.8 million is earmarked toward ambulance equipment, with the largest amount $1.2 million (70 percent) going toward water and sewer infrastructure.
Because the county owns the Rock County Rural Water System, commissioners are looking to dedicate $540,000 for improvements. They would place $720,000 in a matching grant program (up to $100,000) for water and sewer improvements in area cities.
City leaders could leverage their own ARP dollars with the county’s.
“The goal is to make those dollars available to all the communities … get some money out there to do infrastructure items that are necessary but not popular because they’re expensive,” Oldre said.
Cities cannot spend ARP money on street improvements, according to the U.S. Department of the Treasury, which administers the program.
In addition to the county’s $1.8 million, cities and townships are also receiving money under ARP, which includes:
•Battle Plain Township: $20,370.
•Beaver Creek Township: $39,480.
•Clinton Township: $28,350.
•Denver Township: $17,745.
•Kanaranzi Township: $25,410.
•Luverne Township: $50,400.
•Magnolia Township: $21,840.
•Martin Township: $39,480.
•Mound Township: $26,355.
•Rose Dell Township: $21,105.
•Springwater Township: $25,830.
•Vienna Township: $15,855.
•Beaver Creek: $29,400.
•Hardwick: $19,215.
•Hills: $68,355.
•Kenneth: $6,930.
•Luverne: $475,755.
•Magnolia: $21,945.
•Steen: $17,325.
Amounts are based on $105 per capita based on the 2018 population estimates.