MERRIMAC — The Town of Merrimac and the Merrimac Board of Selectmen wish to share potential ways the town may use American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding.
Merrimac has received half of the $2.1 million allocated through ARPA, which was signed into law on March 11. The program is intended to support the U.S. effort to combat the COVID-19 pandemic in myriad ways, including offsetting the economic impact of the pandemic and supporting public health efforts meant to curb the spread of the virus.
Funding can be used for:
- Supporting public health response efforts or addressing negative economic impacts
- Replacing public sector revenue loss
- Establishing premium pay for essential workers
- Investments in water, sewer or broadband infrastructure
The Board of Selectmen established an ARPA Committee comprised of a diverse group of citizens and community stakeholders to recommend ways to utilize funding. Recommendations were presented and approved by the board at a meeting on Sept. 14.
The committee’s main recommendation is to use the funding to upgrade the town’s water main distribution in order to increase the diameter of water mains in critical areas. This will provide better water capacity, flow and quality, while also giving firefighters the means necessary to fight fires more efficiently. Roads in upgraded areas would be repaired as part of the effort, thus saving the town additional road replacement costs in the future.
Additionally, the committee recommends that the town construct an emergency shelter, cooling station or heating station at Sweetsir Elementary School. The committee also recommends that the town invests in fiber optic internet broadband infrastructure.
“Creating this committee allowed us to gather many ideas from many different perspectives, which we felt was very important. After careful consideration, we believe that the following recommendations will best serve our community in the future,” said Selectman and ARPA Committee Chair Chris Manni. “This funding will impact our community as a whole in a lasting way, and we are grateful and excited to see its potential effects.”
Unlike the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act and the Coronavirus Relief Fund, which were intended to allay the direct and immediate impacts of the pandemic, the American Rescue Plan allows for more flexible spending and extends the timeline for recipients to allocate money.
To view the complete recommendation report, please click here.
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