Adams County distributes $900,000 in ARPA funds to villages, not-for-profits

QUINCY — The Adams County Board approved moving more than $920,000 in American Rescue Plan Act funds at its meeting Tuesday night.

The approved funding, provided by the federal government for COVID relief, was vetted by Bellwether, a consulting firm based out of Normal hired by the county to ensure all of the guidelines and stipulations tied to the ARPA funds are followed.

Twenty-six not-for-profit organizations applied and 16 received more than $680,000 in funding. The United Way of Adams County accepted the applications on the county’s behalf and received an an administrative fee for its efforts.

Adams County Finance Committee Chairman Bret Austin said the county set aside $1 million in ARPA funds to not-for-profits who could prove they suffered significant financial losses since the pandemic began nearly two years ago. The organization had to submit tax forms from the previous three years for verification and those 10 who didn’t receive money either couldn’t prove the losses or made requests for new programs that began post-COVID.

Among the entities receiving funding were:

• Quincy Area Partnership for Unmet Needs: $25,000
• Advocacy Network: $20,000
• Bella Ease: $55,000
• Cornerstone: $50,000
• GREDF: $30,000
• Junior Achievement: $15,000
• Mississippi Valley Boy Scouts: $60,000
• Quincy Area Chamber of Commerce: $25,000
• Quincy Art Center: $17,000
• Quincy Family YMCA: $59,680
• Sunset Home: $125,000
• Quincy Community Theatre: $20,000
• Good Samaritan Home: $25,000
• The District: $25,000
• Kroc Center: $96,250

The County Board also approved three other ARPA-funded projects:

• $102,984 to the Adams County Sheriff for computers.
• $75,000 to the Village of Camp Point for water line infrastructure (where the village will provide a 50 percent match).
• $59,500 to the Village of Liberty for water line infrastructure (where the village will provide a 50 percent match).

In other action, The Adams County Board:

• Accepted a bid of more than $1.6 million from Peters Heating and Air for a new HVAC system in the Adams County Health Department. Peters had the low bid among three vendors. These were previously-approved ARPA dollars.
• Approved the hiring of Lowell Klassert as the county’s new director of human resources. He had previously been in human resources at Ascend Wellness Holdings in Barry, Ill.
• Appointed Duane Venvertloh and Dave Bellis as its representatives on the Quincy Riverfront Development Commission.
• Approved the re-appointment of Jim Frankenhoff as county engineer to another six-year term.