LAWTON – Comanche County Commissioners continue to work on a project to spend $23 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds provided by the federal government.
The county has received $11 million of a $23 million allocation, but the plan to spend the money remains under consideration, according to Commissioner Alvin Cargill.
“We want to look at the rules and make sure our plan conforms to those rules and then we will need to vet our plan,” he said. “Until we get that plan developed, we’re not disclosing anything because we’re not sure it meets the rules.”
The rules, which are being developed by the U.S. Treasury Department, should be made public sometime in August, but Cargill suggested they could come as late as December.
An outside consultant with experience handling federal grants will examine the county’s plan to spend the money. So far, the commissioners have interviewed two firms, but no contract has been signed, Cargill said.
The $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan was approved by Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden in March. The plan provides money for individuals and businesses struggling due to COVID-19. The American Rescue Plan includes provisions to aid state and local governments, hard-hit industries and communities, tax changes affecting individuals and businesses and other provisions.
The plan specifically targets agriculture, healthcare, education, childcare, nutrition, water and utility assistance, housing, homelessness and rental assistance, public transportation and disaster relief. Other areas of American life impacted by the federal plan include aviation, broadband, taxes, unemployment provisions and tribal concerns.
Oklahoma will receive $1.8 billion while Lawton is slated to get $18 million.