MIDLAND, Texas — The Federal Government has provided money for cities and counties throughout the country through the American Rescue Plan Act to help relieve some financial burden due to the pandemic.
Some of those funds have been given to Midland County.
"When we get the other allocation, it will be $34 million, we need to make sure we do this right, that's a lot of money," said Commissioner Scott Ramsey of Precinct 1.
So far the county hasn't spent much of it. Around $2.3 million has gone to the hospital to provide premium pay for staff.
The caveat to the ARPA funds is there are only certain ways you can spend it.
"They just added more rules and regulations, there's no one in the county that can have that expertise," said Ramsey.
Monday the commissioners agreed to hire someone to help them figure out exactly where and what the money can be spent on.
"A law firm to help us determine what the rules and regulations that the federal government has put on this money," said Ramsey.
The law firm they decided to hire is called GrantWorks, and the firm specializes in this type of law.
The county just wants to be sure they are spending money on what they are allowed to in accordance with the federal government.
"If we don't do it right the federal government can come in and say 'We want our money back, and we want penalties and interest on top of that', so we have to do it right," said Ramsey.
After the county figures out what they can and can't use the ARPA funds for, it's about using it in the right places.
"The other step is, the County Commissioners Court is mainly a budgetary office, we need to make sure that we budget it properly, we've got some big ticket items that we want to use this money for," said Ramsey.
After working with the law firm, the commissioners will discuss where the money will be distributed and for what, based on the needs of the people and the county.