Clark County, local governments to receive $4.2M in coronavirus aid

Local governments in Clark County dealing with the financial impact of the coronavirus pandemic are expected to receive federal relief money soon as a total of $4.2 million is to be allocated.

The Clark County Auditor’s Office received the money on Tuesday and it is to be distributed to local governments that have passed resolutions requesting the funds, which are to be used for pandemic related expenses.

The money comes from a bill signed last week by Gov. Mike DeWine that directs $350 million of Ohio’s portion of federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act funds to smaller local governments.

MORE: Coronavirus: 46,759 total cases, 2,755 deaths reported in Ohio

Those receiving that money were not included in the U.S. Treasury Department’s first allocation that went only to state and county governments with populations above 500,000.

In total, the state of Ohio has received $4.5 billion in federal coronavirus relief funds, according to State Rep. Kyle Koehler, R-Springfield.

However for governments in Clark County to receive those funds, their legislative bodies must pass a resolution requesting that money before their share can be distributed to them.

So far, only three entities in the county have passed those resolutions, according to Clark County Auditor John Federer.

That includes the City of Springfield, which is slated to receive approximately $2 million, the county government, which is to receive approximately $1.8 million, and the city of New Carlisle, which is to receive approximately $30,000.

That means the approximately $350,000 remaining will go to the 18 townships and corporations in the county as well as the park district, according to information shared by the Clark County Auditor’s Office.

Springfield Twp. is expected to receive the largest share of the remaining money, which is approximately $50,000, and is followed by Bethel and Moorefield townships, which could receive approximately $41,000 and $40,000.

MORE: Religious order releases list of members who allegedly abused kids, many with Dayton ties

Once a resolution, which claims that the municipality is eligible, to receive those funds is passed and shown to the auditor’s office, the money will be distributed within a seven-day period, said Federer.

“We are responsible to distribute and report what was spent. The entity is responsible for compliance,” he said.

There are specific rules that local legislative bodies must follow when receiving those federal relief funds. That money can only be used for unexpected costs associated with the pandemic that have occurred after March 1.

Funds allocated cannot be used to make up for lost revenues that have resulted from the financial impact of the pandemic, federal rules state. That includes simply using the money to supplement general fund revenues that have been impacted.

Local governments that have yet to pass a resolution to receive that money can still do so, Federer said.

Allocations are determined by the percentage of money that local entities in the county receive in terms of local government funding.

Once those entities receive their funds, they have until Oct. 15 to spend it. If the money is unspent by then it is to be returned and redistributed, said Koehler.

About the Author