After receiving additional coronavirus assistance, Plain City officials are deciding how the money should be used.
Mayor Jody Carney called a special meeting Thursday evening to accept approximately $40,000 in additional CARES Act funding.
The board shared a variety of ideas, but Council member Frank Reed insisted that no decision was made until his suggestion was thoroughly considered.
He said he would like at least $20,000 to be given to nonprofit organization Daily Needs Assistance (DNA), which would then distribute the dollars to those they serve who have indicated a need for financial help.
Reed said he contacted the organization’s director prior to council meeting and asked her to send a survey to constituents who have “suffered because of the coronavirus.”
He asked that council choose not to encumber the CARES Act funds until DNA provides responses to the survey and information as to which residents would receive the funding.
However, his efforts may have been for naught.
Village Solicitor Paul Lafayette emphasized concerns he has previously shared surrounding giving the CARES Act dollars to individuals.
Since the new funds must be encumbered by Dec. 30, he said it would be difficult to make sure the money was available to all residents and establish an internal structure to grade who deserves it.
While he said he supports the mission of DNA and understands the need, Lafayette said it would be a “risk” to give the money to one organization without giving other charities or entities an opportunity, as well.
“As meritorious as it is, it just creates problems,” he said.
Reed said he was certain that other municipalities have distributed CARES Act dollars to charitable organizations or their residents. He asked that Lafayette investigate if there have been any repercussions for similar initiatives.
Lafayette said he would research other programs, but did not anticipate finding any legal issues “so early.”
He said the odds of Plain City encountering problems after giving the money to DNA could be slim, but still would not encourage council to “choose one charitable organization over another.”
“Just because we can legally do something and get away with it… doesn’t necessarily mean we should do it,” Lafayette said.
The solicitor again said he felt it could be a bad decision for the village to assess people’s needs without an established way of measuring them.
Carney noted that she has spoken with Jonathan Alder Superintendent Gary Chapman regarding the available funding.
If the village allocates funds to the school district, she said council could choose specifically how the money would be spent. For instance, she said a certain amount could be given to provide meals for students.
Council member John Rucker agreed with Lafayette’s assessment, but offered another entity the funds could be directed toward.
He recommended the funding benefit the Pleasant Valley Fire Department. Rucker said the department has incurred significant personnel costs related to being “on the front lines” of the pandemic.
Reed said he thought the fire department already received support from the Emergency Management Agency.
Lafayette, who also serves as legal counsel for Pleasant Valley, did not share his opinion but said the fire department received only physical PPE from EMA, not CARES Act funding.
He added that, because the fire department is a public entity with its own audit trail, he did “not have the same legal concern” that he does with giving the funds to charitable organizations.
Council members Shannon Pine and Sherry Heineman said they also felt the funds should be directed toward Pleasant Valley.
“I think if the fire department is in that great of need, I think we should give the money to them,” Pine said.
Village Administrator Nathan Cahall said Friday morning that he plans to meet with Pleasant Valley Fire Chief Mark Kidd to discuss which fire department needs are allowable under CARES Act guidance.
He said he has not yet seen the department’s finances, but would “assume” they have incurred enough costs to elicit the entirety of the new funding.
In other business:
– Council approved a recommendation from the Charter Commission to move the date of the election from March 16 to March 9.
Lafayette said the change is an effort to assist the Madison County Board of Elections.
He said its staff must certify information for the May primary on March 19. In talking with the BOE Director, Abby Metheney, Lafayette said she indicated that staff would be stretched thin that week because of the charter election and May certifications.
He said she asked “could you basically do us a favor” and move the election a week earlier, as the Charter Commission determines the date.
“We’d like to work cooperatively with her moving forward,” Lafayette said.