Madison County Council allocates remaining COVID funds, puts $7 million into jail construction fund
In 2022, locales across the US received federal money from the American Rescue Plan Act to help recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. Madison County received more than $25 million, and this week approved how to use its remaining $10 million. As IPR’s Thomas Ouellette reports, much of it will be going to the construction of the county’s new jail.
Facing a deadline of the end of this year to allocate the money, $7 million of the remaining $10 million was put towards the construction of the new Madison County jail.
In September, the county commissioners approved the contract to build the jail, locking in a construction cost of no more than $97.5 million.
In addition to using ARPA funds, the county is paying for that cost with close to $80 million in bonds. The construction of the facility is estimated to finish in fall 2026.
County engineer Jessica Bastin says the county jail construction was always going to be a massive undertaking.
“The county jail is always one of the items that was discussed in the very beginning of the ARPA funds,” she said. “Obviously, this is one of the biggest projects that the county has probably ever endeavored and the timing of the ARPA funds is prudent to have that consideration.”
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She adds that when payment for the jails construction is due, the $7 million in federal funds will be used as soon as possible.
Most of the remaining federal money goes to a Regional Sewer District infrastructure project and the Scholar House Skills and Training Center. The motion to approve the proposals passed unanimously.
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Bastin reports that of the 40 projects funded by the American Rescue Plan dollars, six have already been completed and 12 more are anticipated to be finished before the end of the year.
According to rules governing the federal money, it all has to be used by the end of 2026.
Thomas Ouellette is our reporter and producer. Contact him at thomas.ouellette@bsu.edu
