COVID relief is coming to small SC cities, towns. What that means for Rock Hill region
South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster announced in a press release Monday that the Department of Administration has submitted a request for federal COVID relief funds for local governments. The funds will provide millions to local governments, including York, Lancaster and Chester counties.
The Coronavirus State Fiscal Recovery Fund, included in the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), is designed to replace local government money lost during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The funding has been available since May.
Larger municipalities like Rock Hill, with more than 50,000 residents, were able to request these funds directly. But smaller towns and cities with fewer than 50,000 residents were unable to obtain the funds without a request from the governor’s office. That means $435 million has yet to be dispersed. Two other states, Tennessee and South Dakota, have not requested this funding, according to the US Department of Treasury.
Rock Hill is the only town in this three county region that could request funds directly.
The press release states that South Carolina should start receiving money within “a few business days.” A portal for municipalties to request their share of the money will be launched this week.
Funds to come to Rock Hill area
Local governments surrounding Rock Hill stand to gain significant amounts of money.
Records show that Fort Mill will receive the largest sum: $11,093,954. Also in York County, Tega Cay will receive $5,643,061, and Clover, $3,245,444.
The city of Lancaster will receive $4,539,839. The city has been waiting a long time for these funds. Mayor T. Alston DeVenny said while he is happy to see money start flowing, “we should have received it already.”
“We would certainly hope the governor would be advocating for the communities where most of the people in our state live,” DeVenny said. McMaster’s request is just “something that we would expect.”
And representatives for the city of Chester, which is set to receive $2,676,906, shared similar optimism and frustration.
“It’s about time,” said City Councilwoman Tabitha Strother, who has advocated for months that the governor make the request. “It’s definitely about time. I’m dissapointed in Governor McMaster. However, we need to move forward, and the time is now.”
Where will these funds go?
According to the Municipal Assocation of South Carolina, the funds can be used to:
Respond to the COVID-19 public health emergency or its negative economic impacts, including assistance to households, small businesses, and nonprofits, or aid to impacted industries such as tourism, travel and hospitality.
Respond to workers performing essential work during the COVID-19 public health emergency by providing premium pay to eligible workers who are performing essential work, or by providing grants to eligible employers that have eligible workers who perform essential work.
Provide government services to the extent of the reduction in revenue due to the COVID-19 public health emergency relative to revenues collected in the most recent full fiscal year prior to the emergency.
Make necessary investments in water, sewer or broadband infrastructure.
S.C. Accelerate, a commitee tasked to advise McMaster on spending federal COVID relief funds, debated proposals for the ARPA funds. The committee discussed ideas like cost-share programs or incentives to ensure local governments spend the money on infastructure.
Department of Administration Executive Director Marcia Adams said the commitee had “a vested interest in maxmizing the benefit of all Coronavirus relief funds.”
However, local officials should be trusted to allocate the money, DeVenny said.
“Everybody agrees that you want to these funds to be spent appropriately,” he said. “The government that’s closest to the people knows what they need.”
Despite frustration with the process, DeVenny said he is ready to get to work. Lancaster wants to replace funding lost to the pandemic, as well as rebuild infastructure.
“We see it as a way to move forward in a way that we haven’t been able to in years,” he said.
The city of Chester plans to use funds to pay government employees, Strother said. The city government has stayed operational throughout the pandemic.
“We have not been able to give our employees a raise,” she said. “This money can be used for outside recreation, the money can be used for infastructure, and we need that.”
