Council Discusses use of Federal American Rescue Plan Act Funds
The $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) was signed into law on March 11, 2021, to deliver relief to millions of Americans struggling with the economic crisis caused by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
ARPA includes a more than $350 billion allocation of Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (CSLFRF) to state, local, territorial, and tribal governments. The City of Rocklin will be awarded just over $7 million to keep front line workers on the job, assist local businesses and non-profits in recovering from the pandemic, maintain vital services, increase the health and safety of residents, and more.
On Tuesday, Sept. 28, staff recommended 15 general programs in four main categories to utilize funds under the parameters set by APRA. The categories include Public Health, Negative Economic Impacts, Revenue Replacement and Premium Pay.
The table below displays a summary of the items proposed, which were generally positively received by the Council. Based on the consensus direction received, staff will return to the City Council at a later date with a recommendation to establish the revenue and expenditure budgets.
The City has until December 2024 to obligate the ARPA funding, and until December 2026 to spend.
Standards for Property Maintenance, Graffiti Removal and Off-Street Parking to be Updated
On Tuesday, Sept. 28, staff also presented the Rocklin City Council with a resolution of intent to prepare changes to City laws (formally known as the Rocklin Municipal Code) that set standards for property maintenance, graffiti, and off-street parking.
These “public nuisance” conditions, negatively affect the beauty of neighborhoods and can be detrimental to overall quality of life.
The proposed changes will be brought before City Council at a future meeting. The changes will clarify standards for residents and be consistently enforceable by the City. Issues that need to be addressed include enforcement of major automobile repair on residential property, clarifying a timetable and responsibility for removal of graffiti, and editing confusing exceptions related to storage of accessory vehicles.