Referred to: The Energy, Environment and Sustainability Committee (Chairman Hewitt and Legislators Donaldson, Greene, Litts, Nolan, Stewart, and Walls), The American Rescue Plan Act Special Committee (Chairman Corcoran and Legislators Clinton, Levine, Lopez, and Sperry), and The Ways and Means Committee (Chairman Gavaris and Legislators Collins, Hansut, Kovacs, Nolan, and Roberts)

Chairman of the ARPA Special Committee, Thomas Corcoran, Jr., and Deputy Chair Megan Sperry offer the following:

            WHEREAS, this resolution has been submitted at the request of the County Executive on behalf of the Department of Finance, Division of Recovery and Resilience; and

            WHEREAS, Resolution number 165 of April 19, 2022, established and funded Capital Project No. 629, ‘ARPA - Brownfields Redevelopment’ in the amount of Seven Hundred and Fifty Thousand ($750,000.00) Dollars; and

            WHEREAS, funding for Capital Project No. 629 was incorporated into the 2024-2029 Ulster County Capital Improvement Program; and

WHEREAS, Capital Project No. 629, through signed and pending amendments to Ulster County contracts, has incurred costs of Two Hundred and Forty-Seven Thousand Five Hundred and Eighty-Six ($247,586.00) Dollars; and

WHEREAS, a remaining amount of Five Hundred and Two Thousand Four Hundred and Fourteen ($502,414.00) Dollars in Capital Project No. 629 is not contracted for and is susceptible to not meeting a ARPA deadline to ‘obligate’ these funds by December 31, 2024; and

WHEREAS, this funding must be returned to the federal government if not ‘obligated’, according to Department of the Treasury regulations, by the end of year deadline; and

WHEREAS, the County has calculated and reported to the United States Department of the Treasury the amount of Fourteen Million Thirty-One Thousand Three Hundred and Fifty-Seven ($14,031,357.00) Dollars as Ulster County’s, Fiscal Year 2020, estimated revenue loss due to the Covid-19 Public Health Emergency (Lost Revenue); and

WHEREAS, the County is allowed, as an ARPA recipient, to utilize its Lost Revenue, as an ARPA expenditure category, on government services as part of the County’s recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic; and

WHEREAS, the County wishes to utilize the currently un-obligated funds of Capital Project No. 629 by providing Five Hundred and Two Thousand Four Hundred and Fourteen ($502,414.00) Dollars of ARPA funding for County services that would otherwise have to be funded through appropriated fund balance; and

WHEREAS, the County wishes to simultaneously replenish Five Hundred and Two Thousand Four Hundred and Fourteen ($502,414.00) Dollars of funding to Capital Project No. 629 to ensure the program continues to provide a way for the County to investigate for environmental contamination on foreclosure eligible properties with the goal of returning these properties to the County tax rolls; and

WHEREAS, the County shall utilize serial bonds to replenish funding for Capital Project No. 629 and ensure the intended funding level of Seven Hundred and Fifty Thousand ($750,000.00) Dollars as provided in Resolution 165 of April 19, 2022 remains unchanged; now, therefore be it

RESOLVED, the 2024 Ulster County budgets are Capital Fund Budget is hereby amended as follows:

                                                            INCREASE                                       AMOUNT

HH.8097.0629-3520.5031            Interfund Transfers In                  $502,414.00

(Rev.#),                                              From the General Fund

DECREASE                                      AMOUNT

HH.8097.0629-4300.4360              Professional Services Env.              $502,414.00

(App. #)

HH.8097.0629-3400.4995              Federal Aid, ARPA                          $502,414.00

(Rev. #),

and, be it further

            RESOLVED, that the 2024 Ulster County Budgets are Operating Budget is hereby further amended as follows:

                                                            INCREASE                                       AMOUNT

AA.1310.1090-4300.4360              Professional Services Env.              $502,414.00

(App. #)

AA.1310.1079-3400.4095              Federal Aid, ARPA                          $502,414.00 

(Rev. #),

AA.1310.1079-9000.9025              Interfund Transfers                       $502,414.00 

(Exp. #),                                            To Capital Projects Fund

and moves its adoption.

ADOPTED BY THE FOLLOWING VOTE:

AYES:                        NOES:      

Passed Committee: Energy, Environment and Sustainability on ________________.

Passed Committee: American Rescue Plan Act on ________________.

Passed Committee: Ways and Means on ________________.

FINANCIAL IMPACT:

NONE