County To Use Remaining ARPA Funds For Roads

Crawford County commissioners voted Nov. 22 to use the second half of its American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds for the two road districts.

Commissioners learned earlier in 2022 that ARPA funds could be used for infrastructure and when the second round of money came available, they made it official.

The county designated $2.3 million for the districts, with $1.1 million going to materials.

District 2 Commissioner Jared Boast said the districts had 24 months to allocate ARPA funds and 60 months to spend the money.

Boast said the plan is to improve roads and asphalt on existing surfaces only.

No new roads will receive an asphalt surface.

The commission also voted to leave $50,000 in the ARPA account.

The decision to deposit the remaining money into the road districts closes the book on the county’s ARPA.

Crawford County rolled out the first round of funding for a variety of projects.

At the end of 2021, the county awarded more than $500,000 to Practical POCUS, a company specializing in point-of-care ultrasound. The company received money for rehabbing a building and training.

The county also awarded $360,000 to the village of Leasburg for rehabbing its water storage tank.

The Bourbon Fire Protection District received $108,000 for 20 self-contained breathing apparatuses. 

Leasburg contributed 15 percent of the funds and Bourbon Fire 10 percent.

Boast did not vote on either award.

All Aboard Learning Center in Cuba received $60,000 to expand its staff.

The cities of Bourbon, Cuba and Steelville each received $300,000. The city of Bourbon used its money towards its UV disinfection system at the wastewater treatment plant.

Missouri Baptist Sullivan Hospital also received around $300,000 as part of a three-year project that will educate the public on how to use hospital resources, along with providing more social workers.