County describes uses of US bailout funds | Local News


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Pittsburg County Commissioners on Monday amended their original resolution regarding their plans to use US bailout funds, providing details of how they intend to spend the money.

The commissioners placed the project within the guidelines of category 1, in line with capital investments in public facilities to meet operational needs in the event of a pandemic.

They still plan to use some of the money from the US bailout to modernize parts of the McAlester exhibition center.

Their amended resolution states that the project will consist of upgrades to the HVAC, or heating and air units, as well as the security system, water supply infrastructure, sewer infrastructure and water supply. other capital investments in public facilities to meet operational needs in the event of a pandemic ”.

The Expo has been a central element in meeting these needs, the commissioners noted in the amended resolution.

“The Pittsburg County Exhibition Center has been designated as a testing and vaccination center and could be used as a field hospital if needed,” county commissioners said in the amended resolution. “It has also been added to the Pittsburg County emergency operations plan,” they noted.

District 2 Commissioner Kevin Smith said the amended measure provides details of how the commissioners want to use the funds from the US bailout. He and District 1 Commissioner Charlie Rodger passed the amended measure on Monday. District 3 Commissioner Ross Selman was not present.

Pittsburg County is expected to receive a total of $ 8,429,278 in US bailout funds. The county received the first half of the payment, totaling $ 4,239,639, on May 26 and is expected to receive the other half in 2022.

County commissioners said in August they had reviewed the requirements for how the money could be spent and determined the exhibition center was eligible. They also noted that at this time, the exhibition center had been used as a staging area for a number of COVID-19 awareness vaccination clinics; it has also been designated as a COVID-19 testing center and could be used as a field hospital, if needed.

“It’s pretty clear; it fits the guidelines, ”District 2 Commissioner Kevin Smith previously said of the use of American Rescue Act funds for the exhibit center.

The commissioners are still awaiting reports from the engineers who visited the exhibition center and assess the costs – including the estimated costs to provide heat and air to the large western end of the exhibition center, which is being used. for everything from rodeos to basketball games and concerts. .

Although the commissioners still hope to modernize the entire facility, they also noted that the heating and air conditioning system already in place for the east side of the building is also in need of work.

The commissioners said in the August resolution that they had carefully considered the interim final rule of the 2021 US bailout law and found the exhibition center project eligible. They approved that the project be tracked and registered by the required interim final rule related to federal funds.

Contact James Beaty at [email protected]

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