Clark County uses federal relief to fund COVID-19 health care expenses

County administrator Jennifer Hutchinson said that COVID-19 health care expenses varied, ranging from costs related to hospitalization, doctor’s appointments and pharmacy expenses.

The Clark County commission employs nearly 300 employees in several departments.

ARPA dollars can be used to reimburse the county for health care expenses incurred by the county’s self-insurance plan due to the COVID-19 public health emergency, according to the commission.

The money authorized to cover the expenses is part of the $26 million allocated to Clark County from the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan Act that President Joe Biden signed into law in March 2021. A total of $350 billion was allocated to help local governments across the country reeling from the pandemic.

Clark County commissioners have allocated millions in ARPA funds for various projects, such as reimbursement to the general fund for pandemic-related losses in revenue, employee paid administrative leave and technology for the county’s dispatch center, expected to open this year.

Commissioners also approved ARPA spending for a stormwater improvement project for Enon-Xenia Road to alleviate flooding in the area and for a fiber optic project to service county-owned buildings, as well as a safety improvement project for Spangler Road.

In November 2021, the commission also authorized $800,000 of spending toward a project to extend the waterline that runs near Park Layne. Another $220,000 was allocated in January to assist Clark County veterans seeking aid through the county veterans office.

Last month, up to $2.5 million in the federal relief dollars was allocated to reimburse the county for a portion of dispatch center costs, as well an additional $300,000 to cover the costs of programming and personnel expenses for reentry services for people preparing to leave incarceration in Clark County.

This month, the commission voted to allocate $125,000 for a part-time position for several years for the Ohio State University extension office of Clark County. The position will focus on assisting the county’s local food program and community gardens.