The Custer County Board of Commissioners visited with A grant writer who is offering her services to counties regarding American Rescue Plan Act reporting during Monday’s regular meeting.
Custer County received about $5.6 million from ARPA but has yet to spend anything due to the “unclear” spending guidelines which are subject to change. The board previously has taken no action on a proposal to use a portion of the funds for a COVID-19 vaccination campaign.
Paula Hofford with Guernsey, an architectural and engineering firm in Oklahoma City, is offering her expertise as a grant writer to Oklahoma counties to assist with the selection and reporting on how ARPA funds are spent.
“I think it (ARPA) is an opportunity we can’t pass up to improve things,” Hofford said. “There is a lot of money there.”
She would act as a third-party who would ensure entities given APRA money used it as agreed and reported their spending correctly. However, the county ultimately would be responsible for reporting it in the annual schedule of expenditures of federal awards.
Hofford’s services are available at $115 an hour. The county took no action during this meeting. However, they may pursue the matter at a later date.
ARPA funds must be committed by 2024 and spent by 2026.
If funds are used outside of the federal spending guidelines, the county must give the funds back to the federal government.
In other news, the board approved a $26,883.47 bid from Domino Equipment Co. for new diesel and gasoline pumps with keypads in District 2. Commissioner Bruce Walker said some of his equipment was obsolete and parts could not be located for them. The keypads would keep track of where the fuel was going.
The only other bid was from Hoidale.
The board approved blanket purchase orders, purchase orders for payment and payroll. The board also approved a prove entrance permit and a lay-flat waterline permit, both for District 2.
In unforeseen business, the board looked at three requests for use of Custer County Law Enforcement Center Trust funds from Sheriff Dan Day.
The first was for six security cameras. Three would go into solitary, one would be put in the booking hallway and two would be kept as backups. Day said inmates keep damaging the cameras, but the profile of the new cameras should make it easier to protect.
The second request was for new smoke detectors to replace those which are going off for no reason. This also causes issues with the rest of the fire deterrent system.
The final request was to install Plexiglas shields in the front office and booking room. The board asked Day to wait on this item because a local contractor will be coming to get estimates on installing glass dividers in different areas of the courthouse.
These items did not require a vote as Day is only required to bring them to the commission board chairman for approval. However, District 3 Commissioner Lyle Miller, the current chairman, requested they be brought before the entire board.