American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA)

Note: Information about the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), including rules about how the money can be used, is still coming out.

American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA)

The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA), was signed into law by President Biden on March 11, 2021 to speed up the United States’ recovery from the economic and health effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and ongoing recession. The plan allocates $350 billion to help state, local, and tribal governments, with the County of Green receiving $7.17 million and Green County municipalities receiving a little over $3.6 million.

Resources About ARPA

Click on any link below to find out more:

Creation of ARPA Ad-Hoc Committee

In November  of 2021, the Green County Finance and Accounting Committee took action to create an Ad-Hoc Committee to create a participatory way for community members to submit ideas. The Ad Hoc Committee will review ideas and develop proposals for consideration by the County Finance Committee to review before final  recommendations are made to the Green County Board.

The Ad Hoc Committee…

  • Advising role only.
  • Fact finding and information gathering about countywide needs or benefits in the use of ARPA funding.
  • Organize needs and benefits into categories by priority
  • Suggest possible actions, methods, and approaches.
  • Determine matrix of determination and percentages.
  • Work within the County government structure.
  • Recommendations should benefit people countywide.

Learn More about the Ad-Hoc Committee Process 

Interested in learning more about ARPA and the Green County ARPA Ad Hoc Committee? A virtual community educational program was held on Monday, January 17, 2022 from 6:30pm-7:30pm.  Please see the Green County APRA Community Education Session Recording of this presentation or please feel free to view the Green County ARPA Community Educational Session PowerPoint Presentation. If you have any questions, please contact Victoria Solomon at 608-328-9440 or victoria.solomon@wisc.edu.

Applications are now closed and the committee members have been selected.   

Ad Hoc Committee Structure

Voting Members (9 members): -New

  • Jerry Guth, ARPA Ad Hoc Committee Chair and Chairperson of the Green County Finance & Auditing Committee
  • Bekah Stauffacher, Green County Resident
  • Bill Oemichen, Green County Resident
  • Corrine Hendrickson, Green County Resident
  • Casey Jones, ARPA Ad Hoc Committee Vice Chair, Green County Resident
  • Mark Mayer, Green County Resident
  • Matt Sheaffer, Green County Resident
  • Megan Leonard, Green County Resident
  • Roald Henderson, Green County Resident

Non-Voting Advisory Members:

  • Andrea Sweeney, Green County Finance
  • Arianna Voegeli, Green County Clerk
  • Nikki Austin, Green County Development Corporation
  • Victoria Solomon, Extension Green County

Committee Meeting Schedule

Month Finance Committee Meeting
Tuesday, 7pm		 County Board Meeting
Tuesday, 7pm		 ARPA Ad Hoc Committee Meeting
Thursday, 7pm
February 2/18/22
March  3/1/22 3/8/22 3/3/22
3/17/22
3/31/22
April ELECTION   4/5/22
April 4/12/22 4/19/22 4/14/22
4/28/22
May 5/3/22 5/10/22 5/12/22
5/26/22
June  6/7/22 6/14/22

Green County ARPA Ad Hoc Committee Meeting Schedule – Calendar Format

Member Expectations

It is anticipated that the group will meet once or twice a month from February through June 2022 with some work to be completed outside of meetings. Members will receive mileage reimbursement when applicable. The Green County Finance and Auditing Committee will have the final decision on who will be on the Ad Hoc Committee.

American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) – General Information

Signed into law on March 11, the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan Act provides the latest round of stimulus funding to address the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. The federal aid package includes $350 billion in direct aid to states, local governments, tribes and territories. Estimates for Green County indicate that cities, villages and towns could receive over $10.8 million in direct aid. 

For more specific information about how much different entities in Green County will receive, check out this spreadsheet (ARPA Local Entity Aid Amounts) from Southwestern Wisconsin Regional Plan Commission (SWWRPC) with information on the estimated aid for each municipality. 

The Treasury Department is responsible for making final decisions about specific guidance on allowable uses, and those details are expected in the coming months. Funds must be used by December 31, 2024, so there is plenty of time for strategic, intentional planning. Results of the survey will be shared with decision-makers in late July.

Alternative Website Updates

The following sites have updates: 

Community Survey

Green County communities will be receiving funds through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). In May and June 2021 a Green County community survey provided an opportunity to help inform local decision-makers on how to approach making decisions for using the funds most effectively and intentionally. The survey was open to all who live and/or work in Green County, as well as families whose children attend school in Green County.

This survey and the educational workshops are put forward through a partnership between Extension Green County and Green County Development Corporation.

Community Survey Process

  • May 2021: The survey will be sent to all towns, villages, cities and school districts in Green County. Please respond to the survey and share with community members who live and/or work in Green county, including Green county school districts.
  • Sunday, June 20: The final day survey responses will be received. (The survey will close at midnight.)
  • Late July: Each municipality/school district will receive all responses, as well as specific responses from your district. 
    • Note: Names and email addresses will be removed from the survey to allow for survey response anonymity. Names and email addresses are being collected so if people want invitations to a potential community educational session, etc, their contact information is available. 

This survey is put forward through a partnership between Extension Green County and Green County Development Corporation. 

Questions? Contact:

  • Victoria Solomon, Community Resource Educator, Extension Green County at (608) 328-9440 or victoria.solomon@wisc.edu. 
  • Cara Carper, Executive Director, Green County Development Corporation at (608) 328-9452 or cara.gcdc@tds.net 
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