A work session to discuss how to spend more than $4 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds was held by the Washington County Board of Supervisors Tuesday.

Supervisor Stan Stoops read aloud a list of ideas he has compiled from county department heads, including moving public health to county property, building a county administrative building, an overtime bonus for county employees, a grant to start or expand child and daycare facilities, and digitizing courthouse records. Conservation Executive Director Zach Rozmus mentioned that his department’s facilities saw a spike in usage that has maintained since the pandemic, as ideas were listed for a shower house at Marr Park and a Kewash Nature Trail restroom within the Washington city limits. Rozmus stated as part of the county’s committee for ARPA funds, they should be sure to spend funds for projects in response to the pandemic.

For next steps, the board asked department heads to fill out a form to include a cost estimate for their idea and how it would meet ARPA guidelines. Public Health Fiscal Administrator Peggy Wood asked the board about the feasibility assessment of Orchard Hill Building #3 being conducted by Martin Gardner Architecture, in regards to the ideas to move or build new offices, “A couple of these on here, these are big projects. If the county wants to consolidate because we’ve talked for years about a consolidated county facility building. So those kinds of conversations, to build a county admin. building, is somebody going to have a quote to do that? Are there plans and all of that? So I think really from a supervisors’ standpoint, I think you guys will probably have to really guide the committee if that’s really where you want to end up.”

Department heads are expected to bring these further fleshed out proposals to the next monthly department head meeting on December 23rd. The supervisors are still accepting ideas, as they have until the end of calendar year 2024 to spend the funds. Those interested can contact Stoops.