By Kevin Boneske
Staff Writer
SUAMICO – For some Suamico village board members, receiving approximately $1.29 million from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) sounds too good to true.
“I’m always extremely skeptical of free money because free money is never free,” said Trustee Michelle Eckert. “I’m hoping to God there aren’t any awful strings attached.”
Village President Laura Nelson said she wonders “how much more money our federal government can spend.”
“I’m just not willing to sell my soul or leave this village beholden to those strings in exchange for that money,” she said.
Village Administrator Alex Kaker said every municipality in the country will be eligible to receive financial aid through ARPA to help in the recovery of the COVID-19 pandemic after legislation was signed into law in March by President Joe Biden.
Kaker said half of the ARPA funds Suamico expects to receive will be released in the next couple of months with the other half distributed a year later.
“We will have until the end of 2024 to use these funds,” he said. “Now, the big question is: What exactly can we use that funding on?”
Kaker said the village is waiting on further guidance, but initially it appears the village could use the money to assist small businesses, non-profit organizations, to replace lost revenues, to make investments in water, sewer or broadband infrastructure, to provide premium pay of up to $13 an hour per worker and transfer funds to private non-profit organizations, tribal organizations, etc.
“There’s still a lot of questions out there,” he said. “We’re not sure exactly (on) everything we can spend the money on.”
Kaker said he believes the village could decline to accept the money if there would be concerns about conditions for its use.
Trustee Sky Van Rossum said he would recommend using the ARPA funds for something the village likely will receive less money for in the future, such as roads or sewer and water infrastructure.
“We know that we get it today, but you’re going to have to give it back tomorrow, one way or another,” he said.
Trustee Dan Roddan said he favors using the ARPA funds for something to benefit all of Suamico.
“As I was looking through this I was thinking water tower,” he said. “That’s going to cost a lot of money, but does that support all of Suamico? I agree that it supports a lot of businesses. I think we need to look at all the different options. We need to look at some sort of broadband infrastructure… We need to look at Lineville (Road) reconstruction, some of those big road construction projects.”
Roddan said if the village doesn’t spend the ARPA funds allocated to Suamico, someone else will.
“You’re absolutely right, Trustee Roddan, if we don’t spend (the ARPA funds), someone else will,” said Trustee Steve Andrews. “At the end of the day, all of us, everyone, is still going to pay.”
Kaker said he hopes to hear by next week from the U.S. Department of the Treasury as to how the village would be able to use the ARPA funds.