County Finishes Out Disbursements Of CARES Act Funding

The Grundy County Commission has spent the final funds allocated to the county through the CARES Act, with more than $1 million disbursed since June to help meet needs incurred due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
During a special commission meeting held on Wednesday morning, Presiding Commissioner Phillip Ray told members of the CARES Act Task Force they played a vital role in helping to establish the guidelines and disburse the $1,155,620 in funding that became available to the county last summer. All taxing entities were allowed to apply for funding with the amount of funding based on the entity’s tax levy. It was noted tnone of the townships in the county had applied for funding.
Ray said much of the money spent went to local merchants, who were able to provide needed items at a competitive cost.
Some of the items for which funding has been utilized include:
• overtime for employees at the Grundy County Health Department, who have worked many additional hours during the pandemic.
• the city of Trenton, which utilized a portion of its money to purchase tele-conferencing equipment as well as personal protective equipment for the Trenton Fire Department, the Trenton Police Department and other city employees.
• North Central Missouri College, which used a portion of its money to purchase equipment to allow administrators to work remotely when needed.
• air purifiers throughout numerous public buildings in the county.
• hand sanitizers, wipes, barriers, etc. throughout the county.
• items used to deliver meals to senior citizens through the North 65 Center and a walk-in cooler for the Community Food Pantry.
• numerous items throughout the county for school districts, including three dishwashers, air scrubbers, remote learning items, substitute pay and a nurse in every school that did not have one.
• items for the isolation wing of Sunnyview Nursing Home and Apartments.
• Phillips heart monitors for the ambulance service, which have video, audio and transmission capabilities, as well as self-enclosed hoods for each individual ambulance employee.
“It has been an honor to help improve our communities, “ said Ray in a statement released to the media. “It is most unfortunate that this program came about by such horrific circumstances. There is no doubt the needs will far outlast the program, but these are just a few ways that CRFs have made a difference here at home. There has been no official announcement on the extension of this program or the establishment of any further CRF funding opportunities of this kind.”
After all of the expenditures, the county still had $193,188.14 left to be spent and the commission voted on Wednesday to divide those funds and disburse them to first responders, based on the number of employees of each entity. It was agreed the city of Trenton would receive $64,396.05 of those funds to be used by the police department and fire department. The remaining $128,792.09 will be divided by the Grundy County Ambulance Service and the Grundy County Sheriff’s Department. The county will return the $500 in interest earned during the time it had control of the money.
Ray said the county has accepted a proposal from McBride, Lock and Associates, an auditing firm that will be utilized to conduct a single and a financial audit for the CARES Funding. The company will be paid through the funding itself, which is a qualifying expense.
In other business this week, commissioners met with elected officials to discuss the 2021 budget, which will go into effect in January.
The Tuesday, Dec. 22 meeting will begin at 8:30 a.m. with budget meetings. The schedule will include Treasurer Barb Harris at 8:30 a.m., followed by Circuit Clerk and Recorder Becky Stanturf at 9 a.m. Budget figures for Buildings and Grounds/LEPC will be discussed at 9:30 a.m., followed by a meeting with Ambulance Director Steve Tracy at 10 a.m. to discuss the ambulance budget. At 10:30 a.m. the commission will meet with the University of Missouri Extension and 4-H Specialist to discuss the budget, followed by a meeting with Sen. Dan Hegeman at 11 a.m. and a meeting with Associate Division Judge Steven D. Hudson at 11:30 a.m. to discuss the budget for his office.