The Warrenton Board of Aldermen voted on Nov. 5 to allocate the last of the city's remaining ARPA funds.
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The Warrenton Board of Aldermen voted on Nov. 5 to allocate the last of the city’s remaining ARPA funds.
The funds were allocated to the city as part of the American Rescue Plan Act passed in 2022 to provide relief to communities during the COVID-19 pandemic. According to previous Record reporting, the city of Warrenton received roughly $1.7 million in ARPA
City Administrator Brandie Walters said the city had just over $188,000 in ARPA funds remaining at the Nov. 5 meeting and asked that they be put toward several new vehicles for city staff.
Those included two Ford F-150 Police Interceptors at a cost of $48,354 each plus $13,000 worth of equipment and a Ford F-250 for grounds and maintenance for $52,018. All three trucks will be purchased via state bid at Joe Machens Ford, according to Walters.
The board approved those purchases unanimously.
According to the ARPA Final Rule, any ARPA funds must be allocated to purchases by the end of this year and spent by the end of 2026 or they will be rescinded.
“We have to have them (the funds) allocated to an item or purchased by the end of this year,” said Walters.
In 2022, the city allocated the majority of its ARPA funding choosing to spend most of it on new equipment and improvements to city facilities along with payroll increases.
According to previous Record reporting, the city spent $215,000 on citywide computer software, $200,000 to build a concession stand and new bathrooms at the Warrenton Athletic Center, $350,000 to turf a field at the athletic center and $250,000 on improvements at Morgan Park.
As a part of previous budget adjustments made in conjunction with the allocation of the remaining ARPA funds the city also approved the purchase of several other vehicles for the public works department.
“Mainly this is just a reallocation of funds that were already planned and just putting them where they can be better used,” said Finance Officer Meghan Waelder.
They will be purchasing two additional Ford F-150 pickup trucks for a total of $103,974 along with a John Deere Wheel loader for the wastewater treatment plant for $131,573.15.
