BENNINGTON — Meeting in live session for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic struck in early 2020, the Bennington Select Board welcomed a relatively short meeting and a heads-up about a pending infusion of federal funds.
Assistant Town Manager Daniel Monks told the board that town staff now expects Bennington to receive $1.375 million in COVID-19 impact relief funding through the American Rescue Plan Act, which is providing funding throughout the country.
That is also probably only the first of two COVID relief funding amounts the town is likely to receive, with a second, as yet unknown amount expected to be larger, Monks said.
He asked the board to approve having the town office staff prepare a detailed proposal for how to spend the funding, which Monks said will have to meet a set of final federal criteria that are still being worked out.
The town will have until December 2026 to spend the funds, he said.
The Vermont League of Cities and Towns has advised local officials to be patient in preparing a spending plan, he said, and to determine whether other sources of state, federal or grant funding are available for a particular purpose. This would be to ensure towns do not earmark COVID funding to an area where other funding already is available.
SPENDING OPTIONS
Monks received unanimous approval to prepare spending options for the board to consider. He said some of the options discussed by town staff focused on longer-term investments, such as in infrastructure.
However, the spending priorities will be decided by the board.
Chairwoman Jeannie Jenkins said that process will involve public discussion during board meetings.
As part of the request, Monks also recommended that Town Manager Stuart Hurd be named as point person and Finance Director Melissa Currier as contact person to meet requirements of the federal program.
The first round of funding is expected to arrive in payments this summer and in the spring, Monks said.
Jenkins noted that “this is our first live meeting in almost a year and a half,” since the board began to hold meetings via Zoom and CAT-TV during the height of the pandemic.
Only a few people attended Monday, sitting in chairs spaced well apart at the meeting room in the Bennington Firehouse.
Jenkins said people who have not been vaccinated are being asked to wear a mask at the live meetings. Residents and others also were still able to call into the meeting Monday, although there were no comments or questions received that way from the public.
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June 29, 2021 at 05:54AM
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Select Board holds live meeting, hears of federal funding - Bennington Banner
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