Consider these spending options

We are exhausted. We are
overwhelmed. We are heartbroken. For the past 20 months, we have watched as COVID has taken its toll on the nation, the world, and closely observed its impact on our community. We have seen families and friends politically divided over
something which could (and should) have united us in a common cause. We were thrilled with the development of a safe and effective vaccine and eagerly lined up ourselves, our spouses, and our children to receive our scheduled doses. What we were not prepared for was the alarming resistance on the part of some to do what they could to mitigate their personal risk, in addition to the breathtaking use of misinformation to proactively discourage others to do their part to prevent further spread. We were definitely not prepared for the
accusations of willful harm and
malintent, given that we both sought medical careers out of a desire to use our skills and talents to serve and benefit others. But what has been most discouraging is the harm COVID has done to so many of our patients, a number of whom now suffer from what may be indefinite (if not life-long)
disabilities, as well as the economic and psychologic damage it has done to these individuals and their families. 
We in Weston County now find ourselves with a surplus of $600,000 in APRA funding, with another $700,000 coming over the next few months for a total of $1.3 million to be spent at the county’s discretion for certain
pre-approved programs and uses to help us recover from what has
happened as well as prepare for future situations such as this pandemic. One current debate is whether or not county employees and commissioners should use a portion of these funds to give themselves all bonuses retroactive to the start of the pandemic. Now we’re not saying that our county employees aren’t hard-working individuals and don’t earn every penny of their salaries. They absolutely do. They are amazing, talented individuals who have dedicated themselves to the
betterment of Weston County.  What we are proposing is that those responsible for delegating the use of these funds take a long, hard look at how COVID has directly affected our community and put those funds to more appropriate use. Some things that come to mind would be resources that could benefit our COVID long-haulers, such as a full-time respiratory therapist (this would of course have to be reviewed and approved by the hospital board before funds could be allocated). Given the amount of depression, anxiety, and PTSD we’ve seen in both COVID patients and their family members, we could use a portion of the funds to work with our current Mental Health Office in getting them the resources they need to help patients better access mental health providers, including those who specialize in pediatric and adolescent behavioral health. It would be extremely beneficial if we had local options for these things rather than having patients travel to Gillette, Rapid City, or even farther on a regular basis. We could also consider a public fund for those who are un- or underemployed to help offset the costs of food, rent/mortgage payments, clothing, gas, and other basic necessities. Other suggestions include installing better ventilation systems for our schools, employment counseling for those currently between jobs, assistance with procuring health insurance or permanent disability benefits, offsetting the cost of and offering more options for childcare, and assistance to help local businesses offer their employees more generous sick leave, better wages, and other benefits (or to build up their businesses and recuperate lost expenses in other needed and relevant ways).
Weston County is a bastion of independence, grit, and determination, where some would rather give back these funds than accept what might be viewed as a “government handout.” Consistency and integrity with regard to that principle is in many ways admirable. Consider that these funds do ultimately come from our hard-earned tax dollars. This is something every single one of us has paid into at some point.  As hard as we work and as dedicated as we might be to “saving up for a rainy day,” the past two years have been an ongoing hurricane of biblical proportions. No one was adequately prepared for COVID.  And isn’t that what tax dollars are for? An investment in our infrastructure? Building and improving our community so that we continue to be resilient and prepared for (God help us all) whatever comes next? And isn’t it better that we as a community decide how to use these funds rather than rely on the state or federal government to come in and do it all for us? We know each other and we know what we as individuals need. We’ve seen neighbors offer acts of generosity here that most people in larger cities don’t realize still happens anymore. If there’s anything we’ve learned in the past two years as healthcare providers here, it’s this: it’s OK to ask for help. It’s OK not to be OK. It’s OK to have weaknesses and give others a chance to serve us. Let’s use these funds to give back to each other, in particular those who are struggling more than they’d ever imagined they’d struggle and who will continue to recover for the
forseeable future. 
Thank you in advance, Weston County, for your thoughtful
discretion. For more information, please visit American Rescue Plan Spending: Recommended Guiding Pri HYPERLINK “https://www.gfoa.org/american-rescue-plan-spending-guiding-principles”... (gfoa.org).