COVID RELIEF FUNDING

was left with an allocation of $3,913.505.90 from the CARES Act.

“After considering the guidance for eligible expenses for CARES Act funding, it was determined by the Board of Trustees that personnel costs for first responders during the pandemic was permitted by the legislation and would offer benefit to all taxpayers across the board,” said Township Administrator Larry D. Burks. “By relieving levy funds of some of these costs, there was potential that levies could last longer and translate to savings for all.”

The more than $3.9 million from the CARES Act paid for personnel costs for Police, Fire and EMS and Dispatch from April 10, 2020 payroll to July 3, 2020 payroll.

There isn’t really a single part of our collective lives that were not impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic in some way. Lives were lost and families will be changed forever by the health/ medical implications. Businesses struggled and some were lost while others reinvented themselves in a new way. First responders and health care workers stared the pandemic in the face and persevered.

Government stepped in to try and “make up the difference” in people’s economic position. This was done in direct payment to families and also through grants made to local governments and agencies.

As with all grants and funding awarded through these types of processes, there are strings attached. Working within the constraints, West Chester balanced the deployment of new resources its received in response to the pandemic and will continue to do so.

Since 2019, West Chester Township has been granted approximately $7,998,431.95 through various COVID-19 programs, with an additional $3.3 million expected in the next couple years. Smaller grants from OTARMA ($500) and similar went directly toward purchase of personal protective equipment for first responders. Larger grant awards to the Township as part of county, federal and state legislation came with more guardrails in place and required more direction.

Funds distributed through the CARES Act and the more recent American Recovery Program Act (ARPA) were awarded to local governments to respond to loss of revenue and impacts of response to COVID-19.

The CARES Act awarded in October 2020 was slightly more restrictive in its constraints than the more recent ARPA funding.

“Because of the way our Township is funded – primarily property taxes – and the more stable nature of our local economy, West Chester Township did not experience the same negative impact on revenues of similar communities that rely on income and sales tax,” said West Chester Finance Director Ken Keim. “Our hardest hit revenue account was the hotel tax.”

In terms of expenses, West Chester Township incurred added costs primarily for PPE, overtime for first responders and technology to support some work-from-home. Regardless, funding was made available through these programs and West Chester sought the most responsible approach to deploy that funding.

In October 2020, the Board of Trustees created a Coronavirus Relief Fund (Fund 275) as part of its accounting structure to receipt and spend resources directly assigned from the CARES Act (HB481 and SB 357). After paying for approximately $70,470.85 for PPE and technology directly related to COVID response, West Chester

More recent legislation through the American Recovery Act awarded West Chester Township $6.6 million with current guidelines for local government slightly less constrained with regard to direct response to COVID-19. In this case, the Office of Management and Budget defines the calculation for loss revenue and sets the guidelines for allowable use of this funding which must be spent by the end of 2023. Half of the funding was released in 2021 with the remainder to come West Chester’s way in 2022 and a requirement to spend the money before close of 2024.

“With the ARP funding, the Board of Trustees again wanted to look at the current expenses and liabilities of the Township that were allowed for the funding and would benefit the overall interests of the Township,” Mr. Burks said. “In this case, water systems and storm pipe were qualifying expenses and this is the current focus of use for the ARP funding in the Township.”

There has been discussion annually at budget time about the implications of the Township’s aging storm pipe infrastructure. West Chester was developed within a very short window of time and these pipes will likely all fail within a short window of time. In recent years the Township has stepped up replacement of pipes, but the ARP funding will expedite replacement of many of these pipes without impacting the ability to also pave roads or the potential necessity of increased property tax collections through a levy.

“When funding resources like this come our way, it is critical that we think long-term,” said Mr. Burks. “The Board of Trustees is always mindful of growing government. Replacement and repair of these storm pipes is not glamorous or fun, but it is a great use that benefits all.”

Small Business Grants Awarded

As part of COVID-19 relief funding, West Chester Township did have access to funds that could be distributed to qualifying small businesses that demonstrated hardship as a direct outcome of the pandemic.

This funding came through Butler County and was distributed to local governments and agencies with the ability to manage funding distribution.

Nineteen West Chester businesses were awarded grants of up to $10,000 based upon qualifying applications. In total, $287,583 was distributed.

Businesses awarded money through the WCT Cares program were from the services, food and medical sectors.