In a nutshell
At an Aug. 8 special meeting, Fort Bend County commissioners met with department officials to determine how to use the rest of the county’s $157.42 million ARPA funding by the end of 2024. The federal funding was issued in 2021 for coronavirus relief efforts.
Zooming in
As of July 31, the county has spent $123.6 million, or 79%, of its allotted ARPA funds, with an additional $14.2 million, or 9%, committed in purchase orders, said Pamela Gubbels, Fort Bend County director of finance and investments.
What else?
If departments don’t determine allocations for the remaining funds by the deadline, the county is eligible to move up to $50 million into revenue replacement, which is an estimate of lost revenue due to the pandemic, Gubbels said.
“It is the Commissioners Court’s plan to move all unexpended funds into revenue replacement before the end of this calendar year to ensure all the $157.4 million allocated to Fort Bend County stays here in Fort Bend County,” she said.
Once in revenue replacement, the usage for funds is less limited and won’t expire, Gubbels said.
Looking ahead
The deadline to spend or commit funds in a purchase order or contract agreement is Dec. 31, Gubbels said. Additionally, all funds must be expended by Dec. 31, 2026.
