Collin County commissioners allocated an additional $6 million in federal funding to the Collin CARES program to cover anticipated costs expected from the coronavirus pandemic.
Collin CARES funding comes from the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act, which sent more than $171 million in federal aid to Collin County earlier this year. The county adopted the Collin CARES recovery plan May 11 with the goal of assisting families and individuals affected by the coronavirus pandemic with costs incurred from March 1 through Dec. 30.
Commissioners voted Nov. 2 to utilize $4.5 million in reserves from the federal funding for outstanding county projects including ones related to elections, health care and information technology. Commissioners also approved moving $1.5 million from the reserves to cover additional claims from local food pantries that will surpass the $7.5 million previously earmarked for them. The vote to allocate the extra funds was unanimous, though County Judge Chris Hill was absent from the Nov. 2 meeting.
“I believe the food pantry [fund] is going to be oversubscribed,” County Administrator Bill Bilyeu said. “I received an application today for $650,000 on its own. I don't believe that the $7.5 million will make it through the next couple of weeks, to tell you the truth.”
