The Unified Government has scheduled a public hearing at 7 p.m. Thursday, July 29, to receive public opinion on what to do with $87 million it will receive from the American Rescue Plan Act funds.
Public comments also will be taken on the Community Development Action Plan on July 29.
The UG budget hearing will be held at a separate meeting at 5 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 7. This hearing is required if the revenue for the budget is anticipated to exceed the “revenue neutral” rate in the budget. At the July 15 meeting, UG officials said the mill levy for the city and county would not exceed last budget’s mill levy. However, because valuations are going up, the total revenues may be more than the last budget’s revenues.
At a July 15 UG meeting, the commission discussed ways to spend the federal ARPA dollars, such as on filling vacant positions at the UG, public health, stormwater investments, broadband expansion, infrastructure such as roads and bridges, police and fire funding, mental health, reserve funds, and assistance for the needy.
They decided to seek public input at the July 29 meeting.
A video of the July 15 meeting is online at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jAGXnuYMWaA.