(A) Fund established. There is hereby established a fund to be known as the ARP Coronavirus Local Fiscal Recovery Fund, within a fund number range of 8950-8975.
(B) Sources of funding. The source of funding includes monies allocated to Ripley County, Indiana from the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 and to be distributed to Ripley County, Indiana in 2021 and 2022.
(C) Uses of funding. The county shall only appropriate and use the funds, as set forth in §603(c) of the ARP in accordance with U.S. Treasury Guidance, to cover costs incurred by the county by December 31, 2024 for the following:
(1) To respond to the public health emergency with respect to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) or its negative economic impacts, including assistance to households, small businesses, and nonprofits, or aid to impacted industry such as tourism, travel, and hospitality;
(2) To respond to workers performing essential work during the COVID-19 public health emergency by providing premium pay to eligible workers who perform essential work;
(3) For the provision of government services to the extent of the reduction in revenue of Ripley County due to the COVID-19 public health emergency relative to revenues collected in the most recent full fiscal year of Ripley County prior to the emergency, that being 2019; or
(4) To make necessary investments in water, sewer or broadband infrastructure.
(D) Appropriation. The funds shall be appropriated by the County Council before use.
(E) Confirmation of use of funding consistent with Plan I return of funds. All expenditure of funds shall be approved by the Board of Commissioners, with any and all claims to be paid from Ripley County’s ARP fund. The Board of Commissioners will establish the plan, condition and rules upon which the funds are to be requested and used and may thereby be amended from time to time as required by law.
(F) Record keeping. The Ripley County Auditor shall keep accurate and complete financial records of the receipt and expenditure of any and all funds deposited and paid from the ARP fund.
(G) Prohibition on uses. No money received in the ARP fund shall be used for any type of deposit into any pension fund, and money from the ARP fund may not be transferred to another fund of the county.
(Ord. 2021-03, passed 5-17-2021)