Hinds County, Miss., received $22.5M in federal COVID-19 relief money in 2021. All but $3M has already been spent. At April 18’s county board meeting, County Administrator Kenneth Wayne Jones said the board should be careful about spending more of those federal American Rescue Plan Act monies. Much of the money has been used for road, bridge and pavement projects. Nearly 30 infrastructure projects that proposed at Monday’s meeting, between about $6,000 and $200,000 in ARPA funds, were on the day’s agenda - most were approved. The federal monies were designed to address the COVID-19 pandemic and its economic impact on individuals, businesses and local and state governments. The Hinds County Board of Supervisors approved $7M in ARPA funds for two projects: Renovation of a building on State Street (for county office space) and an economic development plan. Before voting, Ward 1 Supervisor Robert Graham and Ward 2 Supervisor David Archie asked for the board to have further discussion about the projects. "Nobody had brought this through the process," Archie said via the Clarion Ledger. "Hinds County can't continue to go down this road ... just throwing million and millions of dollars out there." The board voted 4-1 to use the $3M in federal funds to renovate the building. Archie wondered out loud as to where the idea came from and whether there would be other costs once it’s renovated. "You don't put the cart before the horse," he said. The county is expecting another $22.5M in May. All state and local recovery funds must be allocated by Dec. 31, 2024, and spent by Dec. 31, 2026. (Source: Clarion Ledger 04/19/22) Hinds County cautioned about spending remaining federal relief funds (clarionledger.com)
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