County still waiting to see how $5.5 million in COVID funds could be used

Union County supervisors are still waiting to learn what they may use more than $5 million in COVID rescue funds for.

A part of the $1.9 trillion total funding in the act is being given to cities and counties based on a formula incorporating factors such as population, rural population, poverty level and unemployment.

The delay is because it will be up to the U. S. Treasury Department to decide the regulations for use of the money.

So far, board president Steve Watson said, they have heard nothing but the funds may be restricted to infrastructure and water systems.

It appears that Union County will receive $5,588,491.81 and New Albany will receive $1,973,592.47.

The money will not just be handed out. The county must submit projects for approval and be paid for them later. If a local government uses the COVID funds for non-approved projects the money will have to be paid back to the government.

The Village of Blue Springs will receive $54,339.74, the Town of Myrtle will get $112,287.11 and Sherman will get $158,735.19.

In personnel matters at Monday’s board meeting, supervisors approved longevity pay raises for deputy tax collector Dana Baker and road department employee Bo Madonna.

The approved part-time employment in the road department for Brayden Robbins and for N-Shaun Decoreai Cameron as part-time deputy with the sheriff’s department.

The board voted to accept a low quote of $42,000 for a used bulldozer from Grounds and Loans Unlimited in Mantachie, pending results of an oil sample taken from the machine. The other quote was $55,000 from Stribling Equipment.

They also approved issuing a manual check for the purchase of a rescue boat for Union County Emergency Management. The boat, manufactured for the county by Pintail Duck Boats in Batesville, will cost $11,323. It is designed for searches in shallow water, has a light tower and dive platform to aid in search and rescue operations and should be picked up Friday.

In routine matters, supervisors approved paying the medical examiner-investigator for 11 death investigations, paying per diem claims for four election commissioners and paying the circuit clerk for services as county registrar.

Not on the agenda was the construction of a cell phone tower at the Union County Fairgrounds. Some trees have been cleared in the area on the north part of the fairgrounds where the tower will be erected but city officials have not received drawings yet.

The tower company will pay the county a monthly fee and allow the county radio transmitting antennas to be moved from the existing tower. The old tower is about 70 years old, erected when the highway patrol office was nearby, but presents a maintenance and liability problem for the county.

The next scheduled meeting of the Union County Board of Supervisors will be Monday, May 3, at 10 a.m.