TEXARKANA, Ark. -- Texarkana Arkansas City Board members made sure that more then $7.9 million federal funds became municipal funds during the group's Monday evening.
These American Rescue Plan Act funds, which were awarded this past spring, will be distributed in various sums to finance infrastructure projects as well as provide premium pay for employees.
Of the six designated municipal allocations, the city voted to spend $2.9 for street work, and $1.63 million on Texarkana Regional Airport projects and $1.72 million for Nix Creek improvements, along with slightly more than $471,000 on drainage infrastructure and $791,000 for administrative costs.
As for labor, $4oo,000 will be used for premium pay to city employees.
Both the street and airport allotments will be used to offset the city's revenue loss owing to the COVID pandemic. These two allocations represent two designated municipal uses for the American Rescue Plan that cities are allowed.
In other business, the city's Board of Directors agreed to table action on accepting next year's proposed Texarkana Water Utilities budget. TWU budget planners have asked for more time to prepare their figures because of the disruption the Dec. 6 cyber attack caused, which damaged many of TWU's records.
Board members also approved granting $41,460 to the Police Department to pay for training involving the use of walls and various panels that can be assembled in various ways to simulate different types of buildings.
Specifically, the structure purchase is aimed at helping train officers to enter buildings involving potential mock shooting incidents as well as to heighten their senses to dangerous surroundings.