Following previous discussion in July of how to spend American Rescue Plan Act dollars, the Washington City Council decided on where about 11.5% of those dollars will go during their September 7th meeting.

The council approved spending $125,000 in ARPA funds to bore a new sewer for a proposed residential subdivision that could result in 44 acres of multiple types of residential units near the Washington Golf and Country Club. Council members Illa Earnest and Steven Gault both stated at the meeting that they were previously against using federal COVID-19 relief dollars for this work, but have since changed their minds as this sewer boring project fits under ARPA’s allowed uses of funding water and sewer infrastructure. Mayor Jaron Rosien also shared his thoughts on the matter, “Initially I was one that was more of a proponent on using TIF and working with the county and the schools to do that differently, but I have also had my mind convinced that this would be the way to do it. The lowest hanging fruit, the easiest for our staff, for our time, for those dollars that we have. So that was a concern that I had but one that has been addressed.”

The city is receiving about $1,077,441 in ARPA funds, and they decided in July that about $540,000 should be used to replace the water main along West Madison from Avenue H to the Highway 1 and 92 junction. While voicing her support for the project, Council Member Danielle Pettit-Majewski reiterated her desire for the council to look at using ARPA funds to address childcare needs as it relates to the city’s housing growth. City employees were then directed to work with engineer Jack Pope of Garden & Associates to get working on a design for the developer.