The Washington County Board of Supervisors narrowed down the list to five possible uses of their American Rescue Plan Act funds during a work session Tuesday.

The last ARPA work session held in February presented a list of 23 ideas, and Board Chair Richard Young stated Tuesday that this week was the opportunity for stakeholders to give further pricing information on their proposals. The supervisors determined the priorities are upgrading the county’s phone service, renovating and expanding the Orchard Hill complex to move several county departments, including the supervisors, out of the courthouse, digitizing county records, expanding broadband internet to Marr Park, and building a new shower house at Marr Park. The county has hired Carl A. Nelson & Company to complete a facility needs assessment, which Supervisor Marcus Fedler says should bring several ideas, “I tried to be clear about that but we are going to have multiple options and pieces in that budget. Like that we can do it in phases or maybe we do this part first and then that part second and schedule it. so that we have available resources to do it and maybe not have to bond or anything like that.”

The supervisors made their first commitment of ARPA funds last month, approving to spend up to $50,000 in fiscal year 2023 for a project to digitize the auditor and recorder’s office records, for which they approved a contract with Cott Systems, Inc. The conservation board is asking for $100,000 for the shower house, which is estimated to cost $600,000 total. County Auditor Dan Widmer was directed to talk with Tri-City Communications, who took over Sharon Telephone Company’s services and also upgraded the public health department’s phones this January. Young remarked that if they receive a quote from Tri-City they could move forward as soon as possible. Other ARPA proposals were left off the table as representatives did not present further details, such as addressing child care shortages. The county is receiving over $4 million in federal COVID relief funds.