FRANKFORT, Ky. — When a state has over a 100 counties impacted by a pandemic, $300 million may not sound like a lot of money to divvy up, but as they say "something is better than nothing."
City and county governments hurt by the COVID-19 pandemic are getting some much needed funds. Wednesday, Gov. Andy Beshear announced the state is receiving $300 million as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act, which established the Coronavirus Relief Fund (CRF) to reimburse local governments for expenses incurred in response to the public health emergency caused by the novel coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19).
These funds will be administered by the Department for Local Government (DLG) and can be used for reimbursements of expenses necessary to comply with public health guidelines and protect Kentuckians.
To apply, eligible local governments with COVID-19-related expenses from March 1, 2020, to Dec. 30, 2020, must complete an application with expense documentation, which will be available on DLG’s website starting Thursday, May 21 at 8 a.m.
The funding will be allocated to city and county governments based on approximate population size as recorded in the most recent census data.
“Local governments have been instrumental in the fight against COVID-19 and are a lifeline in our local communities,” said Gov. Beshear. “During this fight, they have sacrificed so much to protect others by supplying PPE, enforcing guidelines, keeping the public informed and looking out for our most vulnerable. This funding will help them better protect all Kentuckians.”
The U.S. Department of Treasury has outlined specific guidelines and examples of eligible reimbursements for funding through CARES.
Guidelines for expenses:
- Are necessary expenditures incurred due to the public health emergency with respect to COVID–19
- Were not accounted for in the budget most recently approved as of March 27, 2020
- Were incurred during the period that begins on March 1, 2020, and ends on Dec. 30, 2020.
Eligible reimbursements may include but are not limited to:
- the purchase of personal protective equipment (PPE) for health and safety employees
- expenses for communication and enforcement by governments for COVID-19-related public health orders
- expenses for food delivery to nursing homes and vulnerable populations
- improvements necessary for public employees to telework to comply with public health precautions
- expenses for disinfection of public spaces and facilities
- payroll expenses for public safety, public health, health care, human services and similar employees who dedicated substantial time to mitigating or responding to the public health emergency.
For a detailed list of eligible expenses and guidelines, visit the U.S. Department of Treasury’s website.
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