The Courier of Montgomery County reports that, in order to help recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, the American Rescue Act of 2021 was signed. The act made $1.9 trillion available to states to pass along to local governmental entities.
A multitude of projects for the benefit of area citizens were initiated with Montgomery County’s $114 million share of the fund.
The top amounts of the funds allocated for Montgomery County include:
–$21 million for water and sewer service to the Tamina community. They’re partnered with the city of Shenandoah. The three-year project is underway.
–Enough funds to cover the addition of ten additional deputies to Precinct #1 Phillip Cash’s mental health unit. The funds include allowing another position for County Attorney B.D. Griffin to aid in processing the rise in mental health cases.
–$6 million in funds in August of 2021 to help out Tri-County Mental Health in east Montgomery County. The Porter Treatment Center opened in 2022.
–$15 million in November of 2021 for Tri-County Behavioral Healthcare.
–$20 million to take care of drainage issues at $5 million for each precinct.
–$13.6 million in funds in September of 2021 to hire 130 more nurses to handle the increase of COVID-19 cases connected to the delta variant.
–$9 million in early 2023 to purchase two command vehicles for use by Precinct #1 and #3.
–$1.5 million for a special device for the Sheriff’s Office to wrap suspects with Kevlar cord preventing their mobility.