MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Monongalia County Commission appears to be happy as discussions with Morgantown city leaders regarding the use of incoming American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds continue.
After a work session involving Commission, City of Morgantown staff as well as the entire Morgantown City Council, Commissioner Tom Bloom expressed optimism regarding how communications were handled during the meeting. In particular, he highlighted both the city officials and county officials had clear and concise goals as to how a piece of over $678 million in ARPA funding that’s expected to be given to West Virginia counties and cities will be used.
“It was a great open communication,” said Bloom discussing the work session. “And I believe in the long run, the City and the County are both going to really benefit from this,” he said.
Bloom pointed out that he felt some of the City of Morgantown’s priorities were definitely worthy of investment from the county. One that sticks out the most is the city’s initiative to revitalize Downtown Morgantown while addressing social services in the process. For Monongalia County Commission, assisting the city in moving Mylan Puskar Health Right to the Mountaineer Sobering Center on Scott Avenue, is an initiative that they were interested in to the point where having them designate part of commission’s budget to the $800,000 project.
“I truly believe that we are very open minded and want to help out,” said Bloom regarding Health Right’s move. “Whether it may be ARPA funding or it could be I believe it will probable be, directed from the County Commission budget,” he said.
Bloom reemphasized Monongalia County Commission’s goal of establishing a countywide broadband expansion plan, which would be funded by ARPA funds, and hopefully grants from other state and federal grants that would match the project dollar for dollar depending on the expenditures. The remaining funds, Bloom stated that addressing county wide flooding concerns will also be a priority for commission after storms in June and July caused millions of dollars in damage across the county.
“We’re looking and have agreed that both the City and the County is going to put in one million dollars, to fix what we call the Popenoe Run area,” Bloom detailed recent efforts on WAJR’s Talk of the Town. “Which is three thousand linear feet of sanitary sewer, twelve hundred linear feet of storm sewer, and another three thousand linear feet of the Popenoe Run street,” he said.
Monongalia County as a whole, has not been given an exact number on how much they are expected to receive in total as part of the American Rescue Plan Act. As more numbers are detailed, Bloom stated that members of Monongalia County Commission and Morgantown City Council are expected to continue these work sessions so a complete priority list can be made to state and national officials when a final tally of ARPA funds given to Monongalia County and the municipalities inside them is confirmed.
“The next one will be housed by City Council, and we will meet with them probably in the next three to four months,” he said.