Clarion Borough Council has agreed to use its American Rescue Plan funding to purchase a new police vehicle and as a match for a Pennsylvania Small Water and Sewage Grant.
Council approved the purchase of a 2022 Ford Explorer Interceptor from Tri-Star Motors, of Blairsville, through COSTARS at a cost of $34,591.
According to the Pennsylvania Department of General Services, COSTARS is the state’s cooperative purchasing program and serves as a conduit through which registered and eligible local public procurement units and state-affiliated entities are able to leverage contracts established by DGS to cost-effectively and efficiently identify suppliers with whom to do business.
Council also will put about $71,000 of the federal COVID-19 relief money toward matching funds for its Small Water and Sewage program, which assists with construction, improvement, expansion, or rehabilitation or repair of a water supply system, sanitary sewer system, storm sewer system, or flood control projects.
The borough, which has several stormwater projects underway or in the planning stages, received about $298,687 in American Rescue Plan funding last year and will receive a similar amount this year.
The police vehicle and grant match will account for about $100,000 of that total.
Linda Lavan Preston, the borough’s chief administrative officer, said the remainder of American Rescue Plan funding will be used to replace lost government revenues.
The U.S. Treasury, on Jan. 6, released the final rules in a 437-page document explaining how municipalities could use the money.
The rules explained how to use the funding on capital expenditures, employee pay and water, sewer, and broadband projects, among other areas.
The Pennsylvania Association of Boroughs said the rules also “allowed governments an option to put some of their relief payments toward revenue losses, enabling them to spend the money on a broad range of general government expenses without jumping through administrative hoops outlined in an earlier version of the rule.”
The association said the change was “a major win for many smaller communities.”
Other business
- The borough accepted the resignation of former Mayor Brett Whitling as borough representative to the Clarion Free Library Board of Trustees, effective Jan. 12, and appointed current Mayor Jennifer Fulmer Vinson as borough representative to that board, with her term to expire in 2023.
- The borough approved the adoption of the Clarion County Emergency Operations Plan as the borough’s EOP. Adopting the county EOP, as most municipalities do, saves the borough from the expense of developing and adopting its own plan.
- The borough approved extending the deadline for finishing the library renovation project to Feb. 28 due to difficulty in obtaining the door needed for the project.
- The borough approved adding a $145 replacement globe to the Main Street Improvement project.