The American Rescue Plan (ARPA) report issued by Westmoreland County for the third quarter of 2023 accounts for only about $58 million of the $105 million in allocations for those funds. At the commissioners’ meeting in January, Commissioner Doug Chew said the remaining funds were used as “replacement” funds for reduced tax revenues due to covid, and that these do not need to be reported in detail.
The third quarter numbers show many projects have not yet been completed. Only 28% of the total amount was allocated for items that directly helped the community (water/sewage, blight reduction, food bank, broadband expansion, etc. Funds directly related to public health-related community services (training, PPE, etc.) were limited to 1.41% of the total allocation. Of the approximately $9 million spent on “public health,” 75% of this amount was spent on computer equipment, software, licenses and communications equipment and related licenses or ventilation/HVAC systems for various county properties.
These funds were to bring relief to county residents most impacted by covid (job loss, health issues, food, housing). Of the $4.5 million allotted to the food bank, as of September 2023, only $500,000 had been spent. Approximately $43 million appears unaccounted for in the report. We need transparency!
Elizabeth Veronica Weaver
Hempfield
The writer is member of Voice of Westmoreland.