Cascade County released a report this month on projects being funded through its American Rescue Plan Act, or ARPA federal COVID relief, dollars.

The county received a direct allocation of $15,804,392 of ARPA funds, which were designed to help address COVID’s impact and were based partially on population.

County Commissioners used a portion of those funds toward county projects, but allocated some to other area governmental agencies, nonprofits and water and sewer districts.

County approves $13.3 million in ARPA allocations [2022]

“The commission felt strongly that this one-time funding should be spread throughout the county rather than retaining all of the funds for internal use as some jurisdictions chose. In addition, the U.S. Treasury allowed each jurisdiction to utilize up to $10 million of their funds within the category of ‘lost revenue replacement.’ This category has a lower threshold of federal reporting requirements and can be used for virtually any normal government purpose,” according to the county report.

The amount a jurisdiction received over $10 million is more restricted with increased reporting requirements, according to the county.

In July 2022, commissioners voted to allocate $13.3 million of ARPA funds to various agencies throughout the county.

The county received 66 applications for the funding and provided funding for 51 of those requests, commissioners said at the time.

County accepting applications for COVID relief funds [2022]

The funded requests included:

• eight for public health expenses, primarily recouping costs expended in response to the COVID pandemic;
• 21 for water and sewer projects, totaling $5.4 million;
• 16 for county projects, to include those at the Cascade County Sheriff’s Office and Montana Expo Park;
• 16 for community partner projects totaling $4.2 million

Applicants whose applications were deemed complete were invited to present their requests to the commission.

The county had already committed to fund some water and sewer projects, which are included in this list, as well as funding for NeighborWorks Great Falls’ Baatz Building renovation.

Many of the projects that were funded have been completed, some are in progress and some have not yet started.

Cascade County files reports on ARPA spending quarterly with the U.S. Treasury and the county’s report through June 30, 2024 is based on those reports, according to the county.

County holds need hearing for federal funds; approves COVID relief funds for water and sewer projects [2022]

Commissioner Joe Briggs told The Electric that at some point they’ll review authorization of ARPA funds if organizations haven’t yet begun making progress.

He said there’s no hard timeline yet as to when that will happen, but once the county budget is settled, he’ll be reaching out to those entities that haven’t completed their projects to determine the status of their projects.

The target date to get these funds expended is Dec. 31, 2025, Briggs said.

County approves funds for capital projects [2023]

Commissioners approved the following in 2022, with updates from the 2024 report that included data through June 30, 2024:

• Big River Ruckus: $30,000, Cascade County would be a sponsor for three years. According to the 2024 report, the funds were expended and the county was a primary sponsor for the first year. The Ruckus organizers said they were taking a hiatus in 2023 due to lack of funding and did not resume operations in 2024.
• Radios for county first responders through the Rural Fire Council: $37,500. Completed.
• Black Eagle Water and Sewer for sewer upgrades throughout the system: $98,480. In process.
• Black Eagle Water and Sewer for water main and compromised service line replacement: $1,383,870. In process.
• Great Falls Emergency Services for a self-loading cot system in an ambulance: $46,661. Complete.
• Gore Will Water to replace two wells, reline concrete storage tanks: $277,250. Complete.
• Opportunities, Inc. to replace an old boiler system with baseboard zone heating at the Regina Apartments to also bring the building up to code: $88,045. Not yet started.
• Simms Sewer District for contingency funding to state ARPA funds: $95,000. In progress.
• C.M. Russell Museum for a new building to house the designing studio and administration offices to those spaces can be remodeled to house a new collection: $500,000. Design phase underway.
• Alliance for Youth to replace the roof, contingency, shed, gutters and insulation: $158,498.42. Complete.
• McLaughlin Research Institute to replace all exterior doors and windows with energy efficient items: $150,000.  Complete.
• Great Falls College MSU for the new CDL training program to cover cost of simulator and other startup costs: $388,875. The simulator has been installed and classes are in progress. The college spent $249,140.47 of its ARPA allocation.
• Ingenium for education programs in science, technology, engineering, art and math through game design, computer science and entrepreneurship for $30,000. Complete.
• Windy Acres Water Users to replace a well damaged by an earthquake: $350,000. Not yet started.
• Vaughn Water and Sewer District to replace deteriorated sewer lines and other improvements: $254,647.50. In progress.
• Sun Prairie Water for new wells, upgrade the pump house, water lines, gate valves and install water meters: $814,000. In process.
• Two Buttes Water District to replace water distribution pumps, restore water system storage tank, replace control valves and install strategic branch meters: $91,086. In process.
• Great Falls Legacy Foundation for replacement revenue for fundraisers canceled during COVID: $275,892. Complete.
• Stockett Water and Sewer to replace damaged curb stops: $14,616.50. In progress.
• Stockett Water and Sewer for storage tank overflow repair: $6,475. In progress.
• Stockett Water and Sewer for replacing the well pump: $21,002. In progress.
• Stockett Water and Sewer to replace the chlorinator building and add a security fence: $19,153.20. In progress.
• Stockett Water and Sewer to replace UV lights and sleeves for the sewage disinfectant system: $1,630.26. In progress.
• Stockett Water and Sewer to purchase and install custom filers for the septic system: $13,409.14. In progress.
• Cascade County Historical Society to add HVAC system and drywall to areas that don’t currently have temperature controls, add room for county archival materials: $121,200. Complete.
• Sand Coulee Water: convert area from individually owned septic tanks to centralized sewer system: $400,845. Not yet started.
• Upper and Lower River Road Water District: preliminary engineering study for phase six: $20,000. Not yet started.
• South Winds Water and Sewer for planning grant for next phase: $30,000. Not yet started.
• Wadsworth Library for heating and air conditioning and an awning: $6,000. Not yet started.
• Great Falls Public Library for new front doors: $20,000. Not yet started. Susie McIntyre, library director told The Electric that the project is on hold as they complete the remodel design to avoid have to move the doors later. She anticipates this portion of the project will be completed by the deadline to expend the funds.
• Belt Library for addition of community room: $160,000. In design.
• Centerville School for new well and water system: $320,176. Not yet started. Awaiting approvals from the Montana Department of Environmental Quality.
• Tracy Water Association for preliminary engineering study for new water system: $50,000. Not yet started.
• Great Falls Development Authority to purchase property in the AgriTech Park: $1,000,000. Complete.
• Pleasant Valley Colony for new well: $75,000. Complete.
• Great Falls Senior Center for installation of elevator: $50,000. Elevator in use but some trim work remains to be completed.
• NeighborWorks Great Falls for the Baatz Building supportive housing project: $650,000. In process.
• Sun River Ditch to repair avulsion between the Sun River and Adobe Creek to stop damage from ice jams and cutoff of irrigation system headgates: $209,884. Complete.
• Expo Park to replace the racetrack fence: $148,910. Complete.
• Expo Park for an air curtain in the Pacific Steel and Recycling Arena: $55,232. Complete.
• Expo Park to add a shower trailer: $57,000.
• Expo Park to repaint the jockey building: $8,000. Complete.
• Expo Park to add water system to Railroad Museum: $16,000: Complete.
• Adult Detention Center for unreimbursed costs for COVID PPE in 2021: $27,361. Complete.
• Adult Detention Center for COVID response costs: $90,000. Complete.
• Adult Detention Center for COVID overtime costs: $225,000. Complete.
• Cascade County Health Department for COVID response costs: $260,300. Complete.
• Juvenile Detention Center for COVID overtime costs in early 2021: $6,643. Complete.
• Juvenile Detention Center for COVID overtime costs for mid 2021: $3,877. Complete.
• Juvenile Detention Center for COVID response costs: $16,500: Complete.
• Juvenile Detention Center for COVID overtime costs for fiscal year that ended June 30: $60,000. Complete.
• Cascade County Sheriff’s Office for body cameras: $140,000. Complete.
• Disaster and Emergency Services for radio replacement: $76,000. Complete.
• Expo Park to repair damage caused by woodpeckers and add metal siding: $76,434. Complete.
• County IT to upgrade server system to have more remote access: $171,000. Complete.
• County IT for staff training for new server system and remote access: $30,000. Partially complete but not yet reimbursed.
• Town of Belt for water system upgrades: $500,000. Not yet started.
• Adult Detention Center to continue lock update/replacement: $150,000. Complete.
• Adult Detention Center to remove old fuel tank and water separator unit: $60,000. Complete.
• Adult Detention Center for emergency lighting and nightlights: $14,900. Complete.
• Adult Detention Center for second floor of pods steel barrier to prevent falls: $300,000. Funding reallocated toward booking area remodel. Bid process underway.
• Adult Detention Center for camera upgrades in jail: $79,442. Not yet started.
• Cascade County Sheriff’s Office for new building for evidence storage: $1,500,000. In process.

The following projects were approved for ARPA funds in November 2022, with their 2024 updates:

• Homestead Acres Water and Sewer for replacement of two wells: $86,133.18. Complete.
• Grassland Colony for well replacement, pump and wiring: $50 percent. Complete.
• Town of Cascade for drilling new wells for community water supply for $300,000. Complete.