Barnstable County Moves Forward with COVID Money Distribution

 

HYANNIS – Barnstable County Commissioners are moving forward with an application portal to distribute $10 million of about $41 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds directly to towns.

That’s despite the Assembly of Delegates recent push for double that amount to go to municipalities. 

In a statement, commissioners said that they view the role of the regional government as serving regional needs.

They hope to use much of the $41 million for regional-impacting issues such as poor water quality, economic recovery or improving internet infrastructure, and only begin with $10 million going straight to towns rather than the Assembly’s ordinance of $20 million. 

Assembly Speaker Patrick Princi previously said in a statement that the majority of Cape towns have projects ready to go, and want to know how much money they will get and when. 

He added that the Assembly’s ordinance would “clarify and fast-track” the funds to municipalities. 

Commissioners said that “adopting the language in the Assembly’s ordinance is inconsistent with the overall direction of the program – which is guided by extensive public and community involvement.  In addition to ignoring the public, the ordinance creates additional delays in the release of funds to the towns, and additional confusion among Cape residents, and potential sub-recipients.”

In their statement, the commissioners said that the portal plan would move forward in the coming weeks, with the opening of an online application portal for the towns to apply for the $10 million. 

The plan also calls for the establishment of an Advisory Committee to identify regional funding priorities. 

About Grady Culhane

Grady Culhane is a Cape Cod native from Eastham. He studied media communications at Cape Cod Community College and joined the CapeCod.com News Center in 2019.



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