The Yuma City Council has approved the list of projects that will be using American Rescue Plan Act funds over the next year.
The action came during the council’s regular meeting, last week in Council Chambers at City Hall. Mayor Ron Swehla, Mayor Pro-tem Marc Shay, and council members Dan Baucke, Jerome Benish, Terri Frame and Tim McClung were in attendance. Marylu Smith-Dischner was absent. City Manager Scott Moore also was absent.
The city has $874,446 in ARPA funds — one-time funding from the federal government as part of COVID-19 relief — to be spent by early in 2024. The council discussed proposed expenditures at its previous meeting, then approved the list last week with a 6-0 vote. The only change from the previous meeting was moving $2,000 from the Street Department to the Yuma Public Library defibrilator.
Besides the library purchase, There is $167,707 earmarked for an ambulance purchase. There is $5,000 for floor repair at the animal shelter, along with an additional $5,000. There is $300,000 earmarked as matching funds for a grant to repair the Yuma Municipal Pool. There is $10,000 for ambulance electric chairs for the Yuma Ambulance Department, $10,000 to remodel the courtroom at the Yuma Police Department, $65,000 for a Yuma Police Department vehicle, and $314,739 to the Street Department.
The Street Department’s funds will go toward patching the streets and the pans.
The council unanimously approved a resolution outlining a loan and reimbursement agreement with Yuma County for the Yuma County Landfill.
A grant to the Yuma Ambulance Service to help pay for a student to attend paramedic school was approved on a 6-0 vote. It is called a Create Grant.
An executive session to discuss potential litigation was removed from the agenda. When McClung asked why it was being requested to remove the executive session, City Clerk Karma Wells said she believed it was because there was no new information to share at that time.
Last week’s meeting was a quick one, lasting less than 20 minutes.
The council’s next regular meeting is May 2, 6:30 p.m. at Yuma City Hall.
