Luzerne County has final rules on spending $113M in American Rescue Plan funding

Luzerne County officials now have the information they need to determine how the county’s $113 million American Rescue Plan allocation will be spent.

Council and the administration have postponed decisions on major expenditures until final federal rules definitively spell out what types of projects or purchases are allowable.

The final federal information was released Thursday, county Senior Budget/Policy Analyst Danielle Cunningham informed council and the administration.

“They have interpreted the rules with changes of broader flexibility,” Cunningham wrote, indicating she was attending a Thursday afternoon information session on the subject.

Possibilities discussed at county meetings have included stormwater projects, levee improvements and assistance for small businesses and nonprofits.

County departments also have proposed projects, such as prison repairs and information technology upgrades.

To date, council members have only approved the use of $924,000 to cover the county’s public transportation matches for 2022.

Fund recipients don’t have to commit to a plan until the end of 2024 and have until the end of 2026 to spend the money.

The county received $56.4 million, but the other half is not expected to arrive until May 2022, officials have said.

County Acting Manager Romilda Crocamo said Thursday the administration will prepare an overview of potential options for council in coming weeks.

“We’re acutely aware of the needs of small businesses,” Crocamo added.

Council Chairwoman Kendra Radle said she will schedule a council discussion on how to proceed after council members have time to review the final rules and the administration’s ideas.