Agenda Item Name:
Title
CARES Act Funding Plan
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Presenter:
Michele L. Lieberman, County Manager
Description:
A CARES Act Funding Plan is needed to begin supporting the local community with financial relief from the impacts of the Coronavirus.
Recommended Action:
Recommended Action
Approve Resolution for Unanticipated Revenues and Budget Amendment to receive and account for these funds.
Approve Engagement of Carr, Riggs and Ingram, LLC as the consultants to assist with processing CARES Act funding.
Adopt Staff’s recommended plan.
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Prior Board Motions:
6/23/2020 - BoCC Approved Cares Act Funding Agreement
Fiscal Consideration:
Fiscal Consideration
Approval of resolution and budget amendment will allow for the county to account and track the $11,736,482 in initial funds received. Budget will need to be amended if amounts exceed initial funds. Accounts: 154.00.0060.525.12.00, 154.00.0060.525.52.00, 154.00.0060.525.64.00 and 154.00.0060.525.81.00
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Background:
To receive funding through the State of Florida (FDEM), Division of Emergency Management (“Division” or “Recipient”), from the Cares Act, a Cares Act Funding Agreement is required to be approved by Alachua County (“County” or “Sub-recipient”). Upon receipt and execution, the FDEM will make an initial disbursement to the county of 25% ($11,736,482) of the total amount allocated to the county ($46,945,928) according to the United States Department of the Treasury. Any additional amounts will be disbursed on a reimbursement basis. The BoCC approved the agreement on 6/23/20.
The CARES Act, section 601 (d) of the Social Security Act, created the Coronavirus Relief Fund (CRF) and provided Florida with $8,328,221,072; 55% of which was allocated to the State of Florida and 45% was allocated to the counties. The United States Department of the Treasury disbursed $2,472,413,692 of these funds directly to counties with a population in excess of 500,000. The remaining balance of $1,275,285,790 was reverted to the State of Florida from the local government allocation, for the State to disburse to counties with populations less than 500,000. Alachua County’s share is $46,945,928 and the funding agreement approved on 6/23/20 authorizes the release of $11,736,482. The period of the agreement is from March 1, 2020 to December 30, 2020. Some of the additional conditions in the agreement are:
• Subrecipients may use payments for any expenses eligible under section 601(d) of the Social Security Act, specifically the Coronavirus Relief Fund and further outlined in US Treasury Guidance. Payments are not required to be used as the source of funding of last resort.
• The FDEM shall reconcile and verify all funds expended during the period and produce a final reconciliation report.
• Reimbursement for travel must be in accordance with section 112.061 of Florida Statutes
• Counties should provide funding to municipalities within their jurisdiction upon request for eligible expenditures under the Cares Act. However, counties are responsible for the repayment of funds to the Division for expenditures that the Division or the Federal government determines are ineligible under the CARES Act
• The CARES Act requires that the payments from the Coronavirus Relief Fund only be used to cover expenses that:
o are necessary expenditures incurred due to the public health emergency with respect to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID19)
o were not accounted for in the budget most recently approved as of March 27,2020 for the State or government; and
o were incurred during the period that begins March 1, 2020 and ends on December 30, 2020
• Quarterly reports and a close-out report are required
• Compliance with appropriate state and federal laws
• Examples of Eligible Expense include, but are not limited to:
• Medical expenses
• Public health expenses
• Payroll expenses for public safety, public health, health care, human services, and similar employees whose services are substantially dedicated to mitigating or responding to the COVOD-19 public health emergency
• Expenses of actions to facilitate compliance with COVID-19 related public health measures
• Expenses associated with the provision of economic support in connection with the COVID-19 public health emergency
• Any other COVID-19 - related expenses reasonably necessary to the function of government that satisfy the fund’s eligibility criteria
Additional guidance for expenditures of funds is attached as Coronavirus Relief Fund Guidance