HomeMy WebLinkAboutFIN 2022-05-23 Item 1C - COVID-19 - American Rescue Plan Act UpdateCity of Tukwila
Allan Ekberg, Mayor
INFORMATIONAL MEMORANDUM
TO: Finance and Governance Committee
FROM: Vicky Carlsen, Finance Director
Julie Hatley, ARPA Funds Analyst
CC: Mayor Ekberg
DATE: May 23, 2022
SUBJECT: 2021 American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Fund expenditures and benefits to
the community
ISSUE
Staff is reporting 2021 ARPA-funded expenditures, and includes information detailing the
benefits of the expenditures to the community, per 2021 allocations approved by City Council in
November 2021.
BACKGROUND
On March 10, 2021, a $1.9 trillion relief package, known as the American Rescue Plan Act, was
approved and provides funding in several areas including state and local aid, education, rental
assistance, and transit. The City was allocated $5.68 million with the first half received in June
of 2021. The second half will be received in June of 2022. Funds must be spent or contractually
committed by December 31, 2024.
The funds can be used in the following ways:
- To respond to the public health emergency with respect to COVID-19 or its negative
economic impacts, including assistance to households, small businesses, and non-
profits, or to aid impacted industries such as tourism, travel, and hospitality.
- Provide premium pay to eligible workers that are preforming essential work.
- Provision of government services to the extent of the reduction in revenue due to the
pandemic relative to revenues collected in the most recent full fiscal year. Funds used
under this category may only be used to restore services or projects that were reduced
or eliminated due to revenue lost due to COVID. In other words, there must be a
- Make necessary investments in water, sewer, or broadband infrastructure.
The funds cannot be used to directly or indirectly offset tax reductions or delay a tax/tax increase.
Nor can funds be deposited into any pension fund.
Final guidance on approved uses of the funds was released in January 2022, with updates to
the ARPA Final Rule provided by the US Treasury in April 2022. The 2022 updates include
expanded categories under which ARPA funds can be used to benefit communities. And allows
governments to qualify individuals and small business owners for direct assistance by assuming
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INFORMATIONAL MEMO
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the resident or owner is impacted or disproportionately impacted by the covid-19 pandemic if
they reside or have a business located in a Qualified Census Tract (QCT). Contracts and
subrecipients for ARPA-funded expenditures are required to be compliant to US Treasury ARPA
requirements.
On March 14, 2022, staff introduced ARPA Funds Analyst to the Finance & Governance
committee that included a presentation and question/answer session regarding the general
documentation, processes, and tracking techniques required for accurate and federally
compliant recordkeeping and reporting. ARPA Funds Analyst collects, monitors, and tracks each
individual ARPA-funded expenditure by invoices, receipts and vouchers against GL reports,
researches and collaborates across departments, and reconciles all individual expenditures and
maintains an up-to-date record of expenditures per Council -approved allocation. Analyst
successfully reported the City's first year of ARPA expenditures and community projects to the
US Treasury as required by federal guideline.
DISCUSSION
Recap of 2021 Activity
The table below outlines all 2021 ARPA-funded expenditures per Council -approved allocation
that occurred during the allowable period of March 3, 2021 to December 31, 2021. Benefits of
the expenditures to the community is included, plus further details as provided by the
department. Each expenditure meets ARPA compliance requirements and directly or indirectly
benefits the visitors, residents and business owners in our community as noted below. Planned
and known expenditures for 2022 are also included, as provided by the department.
2021
Allocation
Recipients
Total
2021
Expended
Total
2021
Allocation
Benefits to
Community
Additional Details
SeeClickFix
$15,689
$15,000
See Click Fix provides a
web and mobile
application for residents
and stakeholders to
report issues to the
City. It equitable as it
serves as a work intake
tool and outcomes can
be measured e.g time to
resolve by
neighborhood.
https://www.tukwilawa.gov/residents/engage/tukwila-
works/
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INFORMATIONAL MEMO
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2021
Allocation
Recipients
Total
2021
Expended
Total
2021
Allocation
Benefits to
Community
Additional Details
Business
Assistance
$10,000
$15,000
Supported equitable
access to resources,
addresses the negative
economic impact of
Covid-19, stimulates our
local economy, keeps
businesses open,
sustains and creates
jobs, strengthens
economic & social
relationships, and
increases tax revenue.
Pre-ARPA 2020 and 2021 Business Assistance:
• 27 childcare businesses were approved and each
given $1,000 grant in 2020.
• 50+ emails sent to all Tukwila businesses notifying
them of resources and helpful marketing materials.
• Initiated 110 telephone surveys, and 900+ emails
with links for online survey to learn negative impacts
of covid on businesses and identify barriers to
stabilization.
ARPA-Funded 2021 Business Assistance:
• Contracted Southside Chamber of Commerce to
provide education, translations, and assist small
business owners to complete EIDL Grant
Applications.
• 7 businesses completed EIDL Grants with
assistance (fashion boutique, bookkeeping service,
shopping center, credit union, law office, daycare,
and cleaning service).
• 875 emails sent to small businesses for
resources/grant education with translations provided
in Vietnamese, and Spanish.
• Social media impressions recorded for small
business resources/grant education in 3 languages
(English, Vietnamese, and Spanish). Instagram 246.
Facebook 595. Linkedln 63. Twitter 145. YouTube
Video 20.
Rent/Utility
Assistance
$0
$0
Supported equitable
access to resources,
addresses the negative
economic impacts of
Covid-19 on impacted
and disproportionately
impacted residents,
provides eviction
prevention and
promotes stabilization,
prevents utility shut offs,
and strengthens
economic & social
relationships in our
community.
ARPA funds will be used in 2022.
In 2021 other funds were used to assist:
Individual households = 231
Total rent assistance = $231,092
Total utility assistance = $46,255
Dark Trace
Cyber
Security
$21,909
$25,000
Provides data protection
and maintains citizen
trust and confidence by
protecting City finances
and intellectual
property.
Applies artificial intelligence to detect and stop
anomalous activity (e.g. ransomware) on our
network.
Build out
chamber/conf
rooms
$13,283
$18,000
Provided residents
equitable access to
council chambers and
conference rooms for
online security, social
distancing, and improve
video/audio access for
residents and remote
employees.
Installed HDMI/SDI conversion equipment and
installed 360-Degree,1080p HD Smart Video
Conference cameras, microphones, and speakers.
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2021
Allocation
Recipients
Total
2021
Expended
Total
2021
Allocation
Benefits to
Community
Additional Details
Leadership
Initiatives
(formerly
Community
Connectors)
$0
$0
The purpose is to
elevate, develop and
support Tukwila
community leaders. The
program will incorporate
a shared holistic
approach that will
consist of discussions of
real-world lived
experiences among
Tukwila's diverse
community members.
The program will
provide necessary tools
to understand City
services, policies and
programs emphasizing
professional and
personal advocacy.
Per Coordinator Neisha Fort -Brooks, programming
to begin late Summer 2022. Web page planning is
happening now.
ARPA Funds
Analyst
$0
$0
Hired January 2022 to
maximize APRA fund
use, provide assistance
and guidance on use of
funds, provide ongoing
status updates/reports,
ensure accounting and
appropriation of ARPA
funds are in accordance
with City mission,
policies and ordinances,
and adhere to Federal
requirements for
beneficiaries,
expenditures, contracts,
monitoring, and
reporting.
ARAP Funds Analyst will also assist the budgeting
process by analyzing revenues to determine how
covid has and continues to affect the City's revenue
streams.
Summer
Camp
$50,618
$50,000
Restores portion of cut
Summer Camp
programs, and frozen
staff positions, that
support youth
continuing education
over summer. Camp
helps children improve
their confidence,
independence, healthy
living with active play,
environmental
awareness, social skills,
and leadership.
69 children participated in Camp Tukwilly in 2021.
In 2022, ARPA funds will be used to restore Tenn
Venture Camp and add Preschool summer
programming to address decreased student
readiness for school due to the pandemic.
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2021
Allocation
Recipients
Total
2021
Expended
Total
2021
Allocation
Benefits to
Community
Additional Details
Before &
After School
$41,275
$84,000
Restored portion of cut
After School programs,
and frozen staff
positions, that support
emotional, social,
cognitive & academic
development, reduce
risky behaviors,
promote physical health,
and provide a safe and
supportive environment
for youth.
40 Students participated in After School
programming September to December 2021.
In 2022, ARPA funds will be used to increase
capacity of the program to add back Before School
programming and fully restore Preschool offerings.
ARPA will also restore Winter Break for Students.
Park
Maintenance
Staff
$76,910
$80,000
Additional park staff
hired using ARPA
funding contributed to
improve the overall
maintenance and safety
of parks, playgrounds,
and trails for residents
and visitors. Staff
assisted with cleaning
up garbage, vandalism
and homeless
encampments leading
to improved safety and
public health.
Additional staffing allowed for reactivation of park
shelter rentals for user groups.
Permit
Processing
Staff
$112,185
$125,000
Restored frozen staff
positions for equitable
and efficient permit
processing for residents
& businesses making
infrastructure
investments by reducing
potential hazards of
unsafe construction,
ensures public health,
welfare, & safety, and
reduces the likelihood of
injury to property owner,
visitors, & future
owners.
ARPA funds in 2021 added back two Permit
Processing employees with the benefit of:
-Reducing backlog which decreased the time
required to process a permit (Permit Techs are the
front end and back end of each permit).
-Easing the transition to electronic permitting that
began in 2020. We were able to implement changes
and identify any gaps in process much quicker.
-Better planning for training/cross-training for job
processes which included land use permits, fire
permits, and public works permits. And allowed a
smoother transition with one employee retiring.
Fire - OT for
Minimum
Staffing
$330,066
$225,000
Supported firefighter
staffing levels for the
protection of life and
property including victim
rescue, fire control, and
property conservation.
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2021
Allocation
Recipients
Total
2021
Expended
Total
2021
Allocation
Benefits to
Community
Additional Details
Street
Maintenance
Staff
$45,367
$167,500
Restored frozen staff
positions for routine
maintenance to keep
overall costs down,
maintain City
infrastructure & road
safety, preserve road
strength & quality,
ensure proper drainage,
prevent washboarding &
potholes, and maintain
equitable community
access.
In early 2021, Street Department reports just trying
to keep up with community complaints.
Using ARPA funds in 2021 to restore two Street
Maintenance positions enabled the restart of work
put off due to pandemic -related short staffing. This
includes:
-Maintenance of vegetation along street surfaces in
islands, sidewalks, and sides of the roadway
(Spraying & pulling weeds, trimming plants, and
adding mulch to plant beds). Department is still
trying to catch up from work -time lost during
pandemic.
-Guardrail damage, that had to be coned off due to
pandemic cuts, have been repaired:
• 9 sections and post on 66th Ave bridge over 1-405
• 14 sections and post at West Marginal Place
• 3 sections and post at Ryan Way/47th
• West Valley Highway
-Cleaning homeless camps, to remove debris and
improve safety, was unable to be done without
ARPA funding. This is now done monthly.
• Tukwila international BLVD open field next to Shag
• Tukwila international BLVD and 146th
• New pedestrian bridge off of West Valley Highway
• Strander Bridge.
-Pressure washing bus stops on Tukwila
International BLVD can now be done 2 x per month.
Traffic
Calming
$100,000
$100,000
Funded equipment and
engineering to reduce
traffic speed, reduce
vehicle collisions,
improve safety for
pedestrians and
cyclists, reduce
environmental impacts,
increase neighborhood
interaction and
revitalization, and
increase property
values.
Traffic Calming used ARPA funds in 2021 to:
• Purchase radar driver feedback signs and Rapid
Flashing Beacon Crosswalk systems to install where
needed.
• Speed cushions and signs were purchased, with
installation at 53rd.
• Construction of RRFB at 150th and 46th Ave S by
Thorndyke elementary school.
• Started Allentown, Cascade View, Tukwila
elementary, impact charter school conversations
with engineers in November/December 2021.
Totals for
2021:
$817,302
$904,500
2021 ARPA Allocations Total
$904,500
2021 ARPA Expenditures Total
$817,302
Under 2021 ARPA Allocation by:
$87,198
Total 2021 ARPA Allocations Approved
$904,500
Total 2022 ARPA Allocations Approved
$2,860,000
2 -Year ARPA Total Allocations Approved
$3,764,500
Total ARPA Award
$5,685,000
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Next Steps
Expenditures will continue to be tracked and reconciled by ARPA Funds Analyst in preparation
for the next required reporting period with the federal government. The next reporting period for
the City will be April 30, 2023, and will include activity beginning April 1, 2022 through March 31,
2023.
Analyst will perform budget projection tasks to maximize use of ARPA funds as we work to
address the negative economic impacts of COVID-19 on our community.
In addition to continued monitoring and tracking of ARPA-related expenditures, Analyst will also
analyze various revenue sources that have been impacted by COVID-19 over the next few
months. The analysis will help to fine-tune the revenue budget for the 2023-2024 biennium.
Finally, if the Balancing Act tool is well received by the community, a simulation can be
developed to gather input on priorities for use of remaining ARPA funds.
RECOMMENDATION
Discussion only.
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