COVID cash discussion tabled

Alexis Barker
NLJ News Editor
 
The Board of Weston County Commissioners has scheduled for Jan.  18 after its regular meeting to determine how to spend roughly $1.3 million in funds received by the county from the federal American Rescue Act. Following a brief discussion during its Dec. 21 meeting, the board tabled a discussion on a proposal to spend approximately $220,000 of the funds on county employee bonuses. 
As previously reported, Weston County received $672,744.50 in funds from the federal stimulus package related to the coronavirus pandemic. The funds represent half of the total amount that the county will receive, with the first half being included in the fiscal year 2022 budget for the county. 
Since the funds were first received, Chairman Marty Ertman has said that the county should not spend the funds until the rules tied to the spending are released. She has also suggested on multiple occasions, including Dec. 7, that the county should not spend any of the funds and instead return the full $1.3 million to the federal government. 
But, on Dec. 7, several county officials, including Treasurer Susie Overman, Clerk Becky Hadlock, Assessor Tina Conklin and District Court Clerk Tina Cote, asked the commissioners to use a portion of the funds for premium pay for county employees. After a tense and heated discussion among the commissioners and elected officials, the board voted to table the discussion until Dec. 21. 
During the Dec. 21 discussion, Chairwoman Marty Ertman said that there had been some misunderstanding about what Jerimiah Rieman, executive director of the Wyoming County Commissioners Association, had told the elected officials about county bonuses being paid out of the relief funds. Rieman joined the Dec.  21 discussion, explaining that  there are restrictions and guidelines regarding what employees do and do not qualify for premium or hazard pay. 
“It is a little different than the CARES Act. … Premium and hazard pay are a much more difficult hurdle. There is a case-by-case determination with ARPA. There is no prohibition with claiming revenue replacement under the ARPA,” Rieman said, noting that revenue replacement is the way several counties have gone to provide bonuses to county employees. 
“I have been emphasizing with counties, suggesting patience is a virtue,” Rieman said. 
The reasoning, according to Rieman, is that potential decisions made during the upcoming Wyoming Legislative session could affect counties in relation to the federal funding from
the American Rescue Plan Act, or ARPA. He noted that direct distribution to counties could be impacted. 
“The state is making their own determination in how to use the funding. The governor announced $50 million for support of local government projects. There may be matching requirements,” Rieman said. “Patience may be a virtue. The other thing is, you have time.” 
He noted that the county has until Dec. 30, 2024, to spend the money provided through the relief plan. 
“You don’t have to make any decisions on the funds, whether it is returning it or hazard pay,” Rieman said. “Despite my encouragement, some (counties) have proceeded, but I don’t know the specifics.” 
According to Commissioner Tony Barton, he sees no benefit to sending the money back because he was informed through Sen. Cynthia Lummis’ office that the returned money would be redistributed to other places. 
“I would rather have it spent here than somewhere else,” Barton said. “There is an opportunity here to do something that is going to benefit the community. I don’t think we should get in a hurry to spend this.” 
He proposed that the county consider various funding avenues, including infrastructure, rural broadband, health and human services and increases in crime and mental health issues. Barton added that economic development and education could also be considered. 
Commissioner Nathan Todd suggested that the county could also consider aiding the Newcastle and Upton communities with unfunded projects, specifically water and sewer. He noted that this is an avenue that would benefit a large portion of Weston County’s population. 
“I really like those ideas. I think that would be great to make sure there are some long-term benefits there, but I am still not opposed to having our county employees receive some of those benefits,” Commissioner Don Taylor said. “Listening to Jerimiah (Rieman), maybe this second is not the right time, but I would still like to see that in the picture.” 
Commissioner Ed Wagoner said he also supported the idea of waiting to spend the funding to see what kinds of restrictions are tied to the funding by the Legislature. 
“I would like to wait also, narrow this down a little more,” Ertman said. “I see no reason why we can’t give premium pay in March after the Legislature.” 
 A workshop to address the funds and how to spend them will be held on Jan. 18 after the regular meeting of the county commissioners.