The Jasper County Board of Supervisors have met a new federal requirement to keep just over $903,000 of unspent American Rescue Plan Act funding. Jasper County Auditor Jenna Jennings says the federal government recently decided any unspent American Rescue Plan Act money cities and counties received to mitigate the impact of the Covid pandemic, had to be formally obligated to a specific use before the end of 2024. 

“The money has to be spent by December 31st, 2026. It’s more than passing a resolution. We have to pass a Memorandum of Understanding. Once we get into these Memorandums of Understanding we can not deviate from this plan, or the money will go back.”

At Tuesday’s Jasper County Board of Supervisors meeting, four Memorandums of Understanding were approved. They obligate $400,000 of unspent American Rescue Plan Act money to the construction of a new Nature Center and future expansion of Jasper County Conservation programs and services; $320,000 to Jasper County Emergency Management Agency for the enhancement of Emergency Medical Services through training, programs, equipment, personnel, or remodeling of the emergency room at MercyOne Newton Medical Center; $174,005 to Jasper County Conservation for the construction of a second cabin at Mariposa Park; and $9,014 to the construction of a new shop for the County Engineer’s Office on Liberty Avenue.