Blaine County has allocated some $3.6 million of the almost $4.5 million in American Rescue Plan Act funding it will receive from the federal government to mitigate the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to an analysis by county staff released last week.
As of May 4, 2022, the county received $2,235,779.50 from fiscal year 2021 and is set to receive an additional $2,235,779.50 in fiscal year 2022, bringing the grand total of ARPA funding to $4,471,559. This money can be distributed to cover the various budgetary expenses of the county, as well as fund entities in the county that have applied for a share of the ARPA funds.
The county has earmarked $1.5 million for its own operations. Approximately $842,000 has been distributed to the various internal expenses, which includes $120,000 for IT/firewall protection, $350,000 for emergency communication purposes, $50,000 for county facilities, $20,000 for the county clerk’s office, $132,000 to the IT department for Microsoft Office 365 migration, and $170,000 for HVAC and lighting upgrades on county facilities. Of the $1.5 million requested, the county has a remaining $658,000 balance for internal departments.
The board allocated $2,971,559 to other county commitments for the next three fiscal year’s budgets. The county has already spent $193,377.74 of these allocated funds in fiscal year 2021 and 2022, while an additional $73,500 are budgeted to be spent in the remainder of fiscal year 2022. Anticipated commitments for fiscal year 2023 and 2024 total $434,000, or $217,000 each year.
Approved allocations from February and March include Swiftsure Ranch, set to receive $12,000; Men’s Second Chance Living, set to receive $49,000; The Blaine County Housing Authority for $45,000; Sun Valley Culinary Institute for $2,889; the Blaine County Charitable Fund for $49,000; and the ARCH Community Housing Trust for $990,000.
Approved allocations for April include the Space Idaho, set to receive $20,900; the Crisis Hotline for $29,200; The Argyros for $42,845; The Hunger Coalition for $49,900; and the “I Have a Dream” Foundation—Idaho for $25,000. Along with future medical director funding, COVID mitigations, vaccine information videos and future relocation efforts for Blaine County employees, an additional $75,941 have been allocated, bringing the grand total of county commitment expenses to $2,089,053.24, leaving a remaining $882,505.76 in commitment ARPA funds.
As of May 12, 2022, the board has not taken action on the remaining funds. 
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What?!
Argyros? Why are Blaine Commissioners donating our tax money to Argyros, who forced employers, performers and the public to get vaxxed, regardless of religious or health considerations?! We shouldn't even be supporting their business because of their egregious fascism, let alone giving them our tax money.
A future medical director?! Medical director of what exactly? They already have the corrupt and authoritarian South Central Public Health Dist czars dictating medical policy in spite of actual science. Now they want our tax dollars to pay another bureaucrat mouthpiece? What's the job description going to read? "Looking for another SCPHD/St. Luke's corrupt mouthpiece to guarantee destructive lockdowns, forced injections and harmful mask mandates? Save our money and just do it yourselves, Commissioners, as you've already done these past two years. Oh, I understand. You want someone else to take the blame for your destructive policies. Well then, that will definitely cost a pretty penny.
COVID mitigations? What are covid mitigations exactly? Just an open check book for whatever you want to spend money on next?
Vaccine information videos. Ahhhh. Now we're talkin'. Blaine Co Commissioners need to make sure they have those vaxx info videos handy because chaos will break out if you allow people to think for themselves. That gov't propaganda sure gets expensive.
Future relocation efforts for Blaine County employees? Are you talking about workforce housing, to which I count around $1M new funding already being allocated. Or is this a special program that only helps gov't bureaucrats. Well I guess that's a benefit of special interest and getting your name on the top of the list. Sorry small biz. Gov't takes priority.
Shameful.
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