North Huntingdon: Details needed on township's $3M share of pandemic relief money

North Huntingdon should get about $3 million from the latest $1.9 trillion covid relief bill that Congress approved last month, though specifics on how the township can spend the money have yet to be outlined.

“There’s a lot of bullet points” saying what the American Rescue Plan money can be spent for, but “no details to it,” Jeff Silka, township manager, told the commissioners at a meeting Thursday night.

Silka recommended waiting to make any decision on how to spend the funds. The township has until 2024 to spend the money.

Municipal officials were briefed about the covid relief package Thursday in a meeting with county officials and a representative from the office of U.S. Sen. Bob Casey, D-Scranton, Silka said.

According to Silka, rules for spending the money have to be written by the U.S. Treasury Department within 60 days of President Biden signing the bill on March 11. The federal government than has another 30 days to release the allocation to the states. Pennsylvania, in turn, has another 30 days in which to distribute the money.

Municipalities will get half of their allocation in 2021 and the remainder next year, Silka said.

The township will have to earmark some money to cover the difference between the revenue received in 2019 and the lesser amount generated through taxes in 2020, Silka said.

“This is not a stimulus check for municipalities,” he said.

Some money could be used to upgrade to the heating, ventilating and air conditioning system within the Town House, Silka said. Air filters and air disinfectants could be installed in the building, which houses administrative offices and the police station.

Employees could be eligible for back wages for what would be considered “hazard pay” for working during the pandemic, up to $15,000, Silka said.

The money also could be used to aid businesses that were impacted by the covid-related restrictions, Silka said.