Adams County Board approves further distribution of ARPA funds

QUINCY — The Adams County Board voted Tuesday night to pump in another $50,000 of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to help find people on probation find jobs.

Adams County Board Chairman Kent Snider said 27 people have found jobs with local manufacturers since the program was established last September and utilizing the first $50,000 contribution to the program.

The Board also voted 20-1 to give Recovery Anonymous $2,500 to cover expenses the non-for-profit picked up while trying to open a halfway house at 1111 North 8th.

The organization had announced it was going to purchase a home at that address, but the transaction fell through when they weren’t approved for $200,000 to purchase the house.

Joe Zanger (R-District 7) was the lone no vote. As Zanger expressed concern about setting a precedent in making this kind of payment, many of the other 20 County Board members groaned, sighed or seemed while casting their “yes” votes through clenched teeth.

County Board Finance Chairman Bret Austin said the consultant the county hired to oversee ARPA expenses, said the expense was justified since it dealt with housing, but he added he didn’t necessarily disagree with Zanger’s no vote.

Gordon Dobey, executive director of Recovery Anonymous, requested $200,000 of ARPA revenue from the county to buy the house and then proceeded to go through the process of the purchase finalizing. Once word got out about the Recovery Anonymous plan, multiple other organizations began to come forth with similar requests for housing and the county would not single one out from the other.

The County Board also filled its lone vacancy by appointing Mark Sorensen in District 2. Sorenson, a Republican who will be on the June 28 primary ballot, replaces Megan Howell, who resigned in March after attending five meetings following her replacing her aunt, the late Rebecca Weed.