Anthony Woods, Deputy State Auditor, and Patsy Trecost, Special Projects Manager with the State Auditor’s Office, appeared before the Wood County Commission on Monday to discuss how the county is dealing with requests for federal money through the American Rescue Plan (ARP). (Photo by Brett Dunlap)

PARKERSBURG — There are still a number of challenges for many across the state in dealing with federal recovery money and what it can be spent on.

Representatives from the West Virginia State Auditor’s Office appeared before the Wood County Commission on Monday to discuss the allocation and spending of federal money through the American Rescue Plan (ARP).

“We have gotten a lot of calls from people trying to figure out what they are going to be doing with it,” said Anthony Woods, Deputy State Auditor. “The guidance is broad and there are a million things that can be done with it.”

New rules being considered in Congress would expand the use of the money where cities and counties can use a set amount for revenue replacement without having to go through a detailed formula to determine as well as expanding the use of the money to aid in disaster relief.

Commissioner Jimmy Colombo asked if more strings were going to be taken off to help some of the smaller counties in the state be able to effectively use that money.

The commission had a new bench in chambers on Monday. Officials said it came from a local resident who believed it originally came from the Wood County Courthouse, possibly from one of the old courtrooms. The resident refinished it and donated it to the county. Officials will be looking for a permanent place to put it within the courthouse. (Photo by Brett Dunlap)

“I think the federal government is going to be really broad when they look at these projects,” Woods said, adding government entities will be needing to include narratives on why certain projects were chosen.

Many projects are being considered due to the impact of the ongoing COVID 19 pandemic.

“We are encouraging folks to have that COVID tie,” Woods said.

The commission is conferring with a law firm, Lewis Glasser PLLC, to review proposed projects to see they meet the necessary requirements for the funds.

The county is creating a binder of information and if federal officials would ever want to come in and audit any funds, they will be prepared, Commission President Blair Couch said.

Couch said officials are looking at it as a transformative fund for projects that will have lasting effects over the next 20 to 100 years.

“We want to see transformative projects,” he said.

Commissioner Robert Tebay said one lingering question is whether counties will be expected to pay any portion of the funds for broadband expansion through the state.

Woods said they gotten a lot of questions on that. The state has put aside around $90 million of the state’s allocation of $1.3 billion that will be put into broadband development.

“We have been telling people to contact the state to see what their plan is and not have a lot of duplication of effort,” he said.

Couch said some areas still have necessary water projects they want to complete which would take the priority over broadband expansion for some.

Tebay said inflation is such that the price for many projects is going to increase greatly.

Woods said with so many agencies and entities vying for supplies and labor there will likely be shortages.

Patsy Trecost, Special Projects Manager with the State Auditor’s office, said some projects would need to be done through a draw-down system where expenditures are approved before the money is given for them.

Groups would have to include invoices and show documentation on expenditures.

Woods said they are trying to keep with everything.

“We are trying to keep up with everyone and make sure everyone is doing OK and trying to learn as much as we can about this,” he said.

In other business:

∫ John Apgar of the Ohio Valley Rowing Club appeared before the commission to ask for financial assistance to get a new roof put on their building down in the former water treatment plant by the Ohio River near Memorial Bridge.

“We are in trouble,” he said.

The roof was damaged during the 2012 derecho and they were able to do some repairs as well as $500,000 in repairs to the building itself over the years.

Local schools have helped support the upkeep of the building and they have been gone for around 14 months. They have also not been able to do any fundraisers. The building is 100 years old. They had an estimate of around $80,000 for repairs before the pandemic hit.

Commissioners asked him for a formal proposal for what they would like done, including a dollar amount and estimates for the work. The county would have it reviewed and see if it could qualify for any recovery funds.

Brett Dunlap can be reached at bdunlap@newsandsentinel.com