County to get C.U.R.E. money to help with COVID-19 related expenses

 

[July 22, 2020] 

At the Logan County Board’s Finance Committee meeting on Tuesday, July 14, one focus of discussion was the Coronavirus Urgent Remediation Emergency (C.U.R.E.). C.U.R.E. is federal money given to states.

Towns and municipalities can apply for the money to help with justifiable COVID-19 related expenses. The program is through the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity.

Logan County Treasurer Penny Thomas and the board’s Insurance Administrator and Program Compliance Oversight Manager, Brenda Clark, sat through a webinar last week to learn more about the program.

Finance Committee Chairman Chuck Ruben said a paper application must be sent in by Friday, but the county has until the end of the year to send justification for the money they are asking. He asked Thomas to explain further.

Thomas said anything spent due to COVID-19 until December 31 will be considered justifiable.

The state has suggested sending in monthly statements. Once those are sent, Thomas said it should not take long to get that money back. Anything already expended out of the budget would not count in some cases.

Thomas said the county can use up to $411,000.
 

In the next few weeks Thomas hopes to meet with department heads to collect receipts from March through July. They will start sending in receipts in August. Thomas said they can call a helpline for questions they may have about justifiable expenses.

One example of expenses that would likely count is the extra security that Logan County Sheriff Mark Landers has had to hire because of COVID.

Since the courtroom video cameras have become more necessary due to COVID, committee member Dave Blankenship asked if they could be covered. That is a $10,000 expense.

Since the video cameras are an extra budget expense over and above the expense line, Ruben told Blankenship to bring it forward to the board that way.

A window that was recently added at the Animal Control building could also be covered because Ruben said that keeps employees from having to go out where all the people come in.

Other justifiable expenses committee members asked about are the drop boxes and copier upgrades.

With the Orr building being used for meetings the past couple month, utilities and rent, committee members thought they might be covered expenses.

Additionally, Ruben said they should check about extra EMA expenses.

Because of new states laws, Ruben said fines and fees are considerably lower than anticipated, so the county is losing money there.

Ruben said every little bit the county can get reimbursed for would help.

[Angela Reiners]