Information

Type: Deliberation

Department: PHSS - Public Health & Social Services

Directors' Update: TBD

Business Meeting: Dec. 21, 2020

Summary:

Approving agreements with St. Joseph School for the use of Coronavirus Relief Funds to assist with the Safe Reopening of schools during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Publications: NA

Cover Letter To:

Additional Copies To: JP Anderson, John Abplanalp, Stacey Loflin, Meja Handlin and Sandi Andrus

Resolution

WHEREAS, US Treasury has made payments from the Fund to States and eligible units of local government; the District of Columbia and U.S. Territories (the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the United States Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands); and Tribal governments (collectively “governments”); and

WHEREAS, the CARES Act requires that the payments from the Coronavirus Relief Fund (CRF) only be used to cover expenses that (1) are necessary expenditures incurred due to the public health emergency with respect to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID–19) (2) were not accounted for in the budget most recently approved as of March 27, 2020, (the date of enactment of the CARES Act) for the State or government; and (3) were incurred during the period that begins on March 1, 2020, and ends on December 30, 2020; and

WHEREAS, Governor Inslee released a portion of the state’s CRF to cities and counties with populations under 500,000 that were ineligible to receive direct funding under the CARES Act. Cities and counties below 500,000-population have received a per capita distribution, with a minimum distribution of $250,000 per county and $25,000 for cities and town administered through the Washington State Department of Commerce; and

WHEREAS, Lewis County Public Health was the recipient of a CRF Grant in the amount of $1,589,600 through the Washington State Department of Health for costs incurred in response to the COVID-19-related public health emergency during the period of March 1, 2020, through December 30, 2020; and

WHEREAS, Allowable expenditures include, but are not limited to: medical and 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 emergency, expenses of actions to facilitate compliance with public health measures, expenses associated with the provision of economic support in connection with the emergency and any other COVID-19-related expenses of government that satisfy the CRF’s eligibility criteria; and

WHEREAS, Lewis County Public Health has allocated approximately $550,000 of the shared Coronavirus Relief Funds to assist Lewis County schools with costs incurred associated with the safe reopening of schools; and

WHEREAS, the US Treasury Guidance allows for payments from the CRF to cover costs associated with providing distance learning (e.g., the cost of laptops to provide to students) or for in-person learning (e.g., the cost of acquiring personal protective equipment for students attending schools in-person or other costs associated with meeting Centers for Disease Control guidelines). And for administrative convenience, Treasury will presume that expenses of up to $500 per elementary and secondary school student to be eligible expenditures, such that schools do not need to document the specific use of funds up to that amount; and

WHEREAS, the County has determined that eligible expenditures include expenses for COVID-19-related costs incurred by St. Joseph School and measures taken to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Eligible expenses include costs associated with providing distance learning or for in-person learning and  the cost of acquiring personal protective equipment for students attending schools in-person or other costs associated with meeting Centers for Disease Control guidelines; and

WHEREAS, pursuant to the Treasury guidance, Lewis County Public Health for administrative convenience will presume that expenses of up to $40.00 per elementary and secondary school student to be eligible expenditures; and

WHEREAS, the Board has determined that the activity herein described meets the US Treasury guidelines for use of CRF under the CARES Act, are eligible for reimbursement from the Washington State Department of Commerce and are in the best interest of the general welfare, health and safety of the citizens of the County, and is in the best interests of the County in preventing the spread of the COVID-19 Virus in  Lewis County, the Board intends to disburse Coronavirus Relief Funds to the St. Joseph School for the purposes stated in this agreement and consistent with the US Treasury guidelines.

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED funding is hereby allocated as indicated in the attached agreement in the amount of $4,400.00 from the County COVID-19 Response Fund No. 1410, using Coronavirus Relief funds passed through the State Department of Health in fiscal year 2020, solely for the purpose of costs associated with providing distance learning or for in-person learning and the cost of acquiring personal protective equipment for students attending schools in-person or other costs associated with meeting Centers for Disease Control guidelines.

DONE IN OPEN SESSION this 21st day of December, 2020.