Multiple ARPA requests approved during BOCC

WALLACE — Several groups recently submitted applications to the Shoshone Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) for funds from the $2.5 million allocation of the Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Fund program (CSLFRF) authorized by the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA).

Twelve different entities were discussed during the meeting among those were new applications from the Cataldo Water District (CWD), the city of Kellogg, the Pinehurst Community Building, Silver Valley Seniors and the South Fork Sewer District (SFSD).

Previously tabled applications from the Friends of the River Coalition (FORC), Mountain Valley of Cascadia, the Mullan Community Foundation, 9 Mile Cemetery, the Shoshone County Ambulance Service District (SCASD), the Snowmobiler Groomers Board and the Silver Valley Softball League were also addressed.

The CWD requested $98,000 for a backup generator, however, the request was denied after discussions among the BOCC due to the current state of the district — including the potential dissolving of the district’s board.

The city of Kellogg requested $200,000 to complete a section of pipeline that spans from Elizabeth Park to the west end of the Central Impoundment Area between Kellogg and Smelterville. According to Kellogg City Superintendent Mike Fitzgerald, $45,000 of that is for the slip-line and the rest would cover the costs of trenching it.

“This is about a 10-year project and there is a missing link,” Fitzgerald said. “There is an option to just do portions of it, but we asked for the full amount — recognizing that funding is limited and we’re getting to the end of it. The city would look for any contribution that could help bring this community project to an end.”

The request has a few options on it, so Commissioner Jay Huber decided to table it for further consideration.

Kellogg did already receive $70,000 from the county to help with the construction of the new concession stand at Teeters Field.

The Pinehurst Community Building — currently known as the PK Lions Building asked for $70,000 for repairs and upgrades to the building as it transitions names. The nonprofit organization behind the change is working to ensure that the building can remain a community event center in the event the Lions Club were to fold — thus preventing the building being sold off as an asset of the Lions Club.

According to the application, the roof of the building needs replacing as do various sections of the walls within the structure.

Commissioner Tracy Casady made a motion to approve half of the requested funding ($35,000), which was passed unanimously.

The Silver Valley Seniors requested just under $10,000 for a new copier.

Shoshone County Grant Administrator Colleen Rosson, explained that in the past the county has donated its older, used copiers to the group and that this $9,995 was going toward another used copier that also prints in color. The request was approved unanimously.

SFSD asked for and was approved for $160,000 to help complete its facility plan study. The grant is a match request for a separate grant that it recently received from the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality. Without the study being completed, the other grant money from DEQ couldn’t be received.

FORC asked for $50,000 and was approved for $8,000 during the meeting.

$42,000 of the money requested by FORC founder Dawn Wiksten was to pay for dumpsters that get placed along the North Fork of the Coeur d’Alene River. That was the part of the request that was denied, the other $8,000 was to pay off the balance of a boat that had been purchased by the group for the purpose of pulling large debris from the river.

In its first few missions, the boat has pulled several tons of debris from “popular” dumping sites along the Coeur d’Alene River.

This boat will also be accessible to the Shoshone County Sheriff’s Office and Search and Rescue if needed.

Mountain Valley of Cascadia submitted an application earlier this year for roughly $60,000 to purchase and install new windows throughout its facility in Kellogg. These windows would help make the building more efficient in the warmer and cooler months of the year. After being unable to secure any lower bids than the $56,000 it requested, the BOCC approved it for $25,000 to go toward the project.

The Mullan Community Foundation requested $186,000 for the double-vault toilets in Pottsville Park. However, on Tuesday, after some deliberation — the BOCC decided that the group needs to determine how much help it can receive from the United States Forest Service for funding this project, and the request was denied unanimously.

9 Mile Cemetery had requested $45,000, which was originally discussed back in October and tabled after the BOCC had questions on the specificity of the money’s use.

The money was planned to replace/update 150 granite headstones, all of which have been identified. However, the BOCC all agreed that this request feels like something that should be funded through some sort of historical preservation request — not ARPA.

The request was denied unanimously.

SCASD requested $300,000 for a new ambulance, which would essentially complete its fleet of emergency vehicles and get it back on track with its rotation, however, Commissioner Huber requested that the application be tabled once again so he could get some information from the district’s officials concerning how the state traditionally funds ambulances.

The final two requests, from the Snowmobile Groomers Association (SGA) and Silver Valley Softball, were declined.

The SGA had planned to use the requested $45,000 to purchase a new truck, but have already purchased a truck for half the price of what it had requested.

Silver Valley Softball asked for $200,000, but provided no other details for the money’s use.

As of this meeting, Shoshone County has awarded $1,946,570 in ARPA funds — leaving just over $555,000 remaining, which must be allocated by December 2024 and spent by this time in 2026.

The funds must be used in a way that fit the following criteria:

Replace lost public sector revenue; Respond to the far-reaching public health and negative economic impacts of the pandemic; Provide premium pay for essential workers; Invest in water, sewer and broadband infrastructure.

The county is still taking grant request applications.

For more information or to request a project proposal form, email Colleen Rosson at crosson@co.shoshone.id.us.