Vigo County lays out spending plan for ARPA funding
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The Vigo County Commissioners unveiled a plan Tuesday to spend more than $15 million it received from the American Rescue Plan Act. According to our partners at WTWO-TV, the Vigo County Council must still approve the wish list of ideas, which could happen in the coming weeks.
More than a dozen projects were discussed with the largest single investment of $5 million allocated for housing projects.
Commissioner Mark Clinkenbeard said they worked closely with the city of Terre Haute so their spending plans could complement each other.
“This is a once in a lifetime thing, I think, and we want to make it count,” said Clinkenbeard.
The proposed list:
- $3 million for childcare programs at the Early Childhood Education Center located at Indiana State University.
- $2.1 million on road and sewage projects around the county.
- $2 million on programming to help youth through the Vigo County Juvenile Center.
- $1 million to help fund local non-profit organizations and small businesses.
- $750,000 on developing a West Central Indiana Business Hub at the Hulman and Co. building in downtown Terre Haute.
- $750,000 to Happiness Bag, an organization that helps those with disabilities.
- $500,000 for an Equine Event Center at St. Mary of the Woods College
- $500,000 for Rose-Hulman Ventures to build a facility closer to campus.
- $250,000 to help expand the Terre Haute Humane Society building.
- $225,000 to help renovate and refurbish the Swope Art Museum.
- $75,000 on a feasibility study for the Terre Haute Children’s Museum, who are looking into developing an outdoor play center near 8th Street.
WTWO says the county still has just over $4 and a half million left over. Vigo County Council President Todd Thacker said they wanted to wait and see what other opportunities might arise before committing all the money.
“We don’t want to rush to judgment and then miss a good opportunity,” he said. “We still don’t have to have it committed until 2024 and spend it until 2026.”
Thacker said he was satisfied with the variety in the plan, and how the commissioners utilized federal, state and city resources to make it happen.
In addition to the federal ARPA funding, the Wabash River RDA, which spans six counties including Vigo, received $20 million in READI funds in late 2021.
“To make an impact with ARPA and READI dollars, and also combining with the city, I thought it was a trifecta,” said Thacker.
Click here to read WTWO’s coverage.