Commissioners continue ARP funding discussion

The Hays County Commissioners Court had a lengthy conversation regarding American Rescue Plan Act funding during Tuesday's regular meeting. 

With a request for proposal currently in progress for an ARP Program Manager placed, the court had the opportunity to provide input surrounding projects being considered for use of funding. 

Members to review the proposals for funds include Commissioner Walt Smith, General Counsel Mark Kennedy and Assistant County Auditor Vickie Dorsett. 

“What I want to ensure is that we don’t have citizens who haven’t had that opportunity to reach out to their individual commissioner or to the judge who don’t know about those funds, who don’t know how to go about accessing them or if it would even qualify,” Smith said. 

One of the main focus points of the conversation included what projects would be allowed for ARP funding, more specifically brick and mortar projects. 

“There’s got to be a way to get a definite answer,” Kennedy said. “I think that we need probably project-specific interaction with either U.S. Treasury or with folks who know their rules frontways and backways and when that time comes, we can put those forward, ask the question again.” 

County Judge Ruben Becerra felt that the county has missed funding opportunities through supplemental grants due to the slower pace of this funding process and has a sense of urgency to get it done. 

“I just can’t help but feel like we have an opportunity to do a tremendous amount of good for our community as a whole and we could be moving at a pace that I, to be most professional and polite, don't appreciate,” Becerra said. 

Despite seeking clarification, three infrastructures that are known to be approved for ARP funding include broadband, water and wastewater. 

Becerra showed his support for the project that includes a mental health hospital for the county. 

“Again, I don’t hide it, I want to build a mental health hospital and that is totally easily defendable to say COVID response is exacerbated, mental health status of our community,” Becerra said.

Along with the potential to build a mental health hospital, the court explored the idea of also using the funding to create a needs assessment. 

“Let’s assume we have the funding to build the building, so how does it operate? I think that’s what this study would help us with,” Commissioner Lon Shell said.

Smith had opposition toward a county-owned hospital due to the cost per individual resident’s medical needs potentially going up while supplementing medical coverage for those in surrounding counties.   

“I’d be supportive of an assessment over how something like that could work but I’ll tell you it’d be very, very hard for me to support a county owning a hospital and everything else that goes along with it,” Smith said. 

The court agreed to further discuss this item during the next commissioners court meeting. A workshop will be held on Tuesday, Nov. 2 at 11 a.m.

To view the full agenda and meeting, visit https://hayscountytx.com/commissioners-court/court-video/.