How will Columbus spend nearly $40M in COVID relief funds? Council approves plan
Nearly $40 million will be used for small business grants, automating trash collection, premium pay for essential employees and more after Columbus Council unanimously approved the city’s American Rescue Plan priorities Tuesday.
This money represents half of the $78.4 million the consolidated government was allocated. Muscogee County received $39.2 million on June 14, and Columbus received $20.2 million on June 7. The funds must be distributed within 12 months, and are intended to be used in response to the economic impact of COVID-19, like workers performing essential work, revenue replacement for the government and investments in water, sewer or broadband infrastructure..
The vote comes after public meetings were held to gather community feedback on the recommended priorities that were compiled by city staff.
“Over 80% of the participants at the public meetings supported the ambulances, broadband and premium pay priorities,” said deputy city manager Pam Hodge in an email to the Ledger-Enquirer.
The largest portion of the funding, about $19.5 million, was prioritized for the automation of garbage collection, including new garbage trucks and carts. The trucks would be operated by one person, and everyone across Columbus will have uniform trash cans, said Hodge during the council meeting.
This would decrease the need for prison inmate labor, similar to the automated recycling trucks that rolled out earlier this year. The funding from the American Rescue Plan contributes to officials’ stated goals of the city fully automating waste pickup.
Funding for stormwater infrastructure was deferred while $850,000 for economic and tourism grants as well as $1 million for non-profit grants were added.
Participants in the public meetings expressed support of non-profits and the tourism and hospitality industry, Hodge said in the email. They also requested an expansion of youth programs.
“The original priority funding list was revised to add Non-profits and Economic/Tourism Grants,” she said. “And also expand the Community Safeguard Programs to include the Summer Youth and Youth Development Programs.”
To fund stormwater infrastructure, the city plans to apply for State Fiscal Recovery Funds, Hodge said. But if that money is not awarded, stormwater infrastructure will be included in the city’s recommended funding priorities for phase two.
Other priorities included in the resolution are $2.1 million allocated for an additional six ambulances, $3 million for small business grants, $5 million for premium pay for public safety and other essential employees, and over $200,000 to fund a full-time temporary position for a project financial analyst and other expenditures. The position has a salary of $65,000 plus benefits.
The premium pay for essential workers would include Columbus Consolidated Government employees who performed essential work during the pandemic and essential work performed involving regular in-person interactions or regular physical handling of items that were also handled by others.
This would include all public safety sworn personnel, bus operators, truck drivers, correctional officers, sanitation workers and janitorial or custodian workers who earn less than $78,116.15. The money will be paid retrospectively from Jan. 27, 2020 to June 30, 2021, and will amount up to $3,000 depending on employees’ hire date. It will be paid on Oct. 15.
Other workers who were relied upon to maintain continuity of operations of critical infrastructure sectors, but are not eligible for the premium pay will receive pandemic pay funded through the CARES Act Reserves. These workers may receive up to $1,500 depending on their hire dates. They do not include part-time employees, elected officials, grant paid employees or employees hired after June 30.
The application process for the small business, non-profits and tourism grants are currently being developed, Hodge said.
