CHARLESTON, W.V. (LOOTPRESS) – During Wednesday night’s ARP Advisory Committee meeting, Charleston Mayor Amy Shuler Goodwin unveiled her plan for the city’s American Rescue Plan (ARP) allocation.
According to Mayor Goodwin, the ARP funds, approximately $36 million, would be broken into three focus categories: Economic Recovery, Healthy & Safe Communities and Investing in Our City’s Future.
“These American Rescue Plan funds represent a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the City of Charleston to invest in our economy and communities now, while also ensuring a bright future for generations to come,” said Mayor Goodwin. “This funding gives us the opportunity to tend to several projects that have needed attention for years and invest in significant long-term projects.”
In Mayor Goodwin’s plan, $8 million would go towards Economic Recovery, $13 million would go towards Investing in Our City’s Future and $14,801,358 would go towards Healthy & Safe Communities. The suggestions given at the ARP listening sessions held in April & May helped determine the amounts of money that went into each bucket.
More than 250 individual emails suggestions were submitted in addition to those who spoke at the listening sessions.
“The information we received from the public was invaluable in creating this plan. This funding is for the people of Charleston, so it was critical that we heard the voices of all that it would impact,” stated the mayor.
Examples of projects that could be funded from each category include:
- Economic Recovery – new business incentives, maker’s space, business grants, tourism incentives, events, festivals, etc.
- Healthy & Safe Communities – vaccination and testing supplies, eviction relief, demolitions, shelters, additional support for the CARE Office, treatment programs, food security, summer youth jobs program, etc.
- Investing in Our City’s Future – turfing fields, pool upgrades, feasibility study & design for a new public safety center, street & sidewalk repair, establishing a public/private partnership to facilitate broadband expansion projects, etc.
In addition to announcing the city’s plans for ARP funding, during the meeting, the committee reviewed and approved an application to be used by those seeking ARP funding. Applications will open on October 1, 2021 and can be found on the City of Charleston’s website.
The application submission period will end on December 15, 2021
