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$80 million in COVID funds approved for allocation by Richland County Council

An almost two-page list of planned uses was presented to council and approved.

COLUMBIA, S.C. — At a Richland County Council's Tuesday meeting, county council discussed how they will utilize the allocated COVID-19 recovery funds.

The county is set to receive $80,756,312 in recovery funds.

The money is aimed at helping, individuals, organizations and businesses recover from COVID-19, but it needs approval from County Council before it’s spent.

 According to councilwoman Gretchen Barron there is process before the money is handed out, Barron saying, “What we are voting on tonight is a recommendation that the committee has brought forward… at this point how we spend the dollars that have already been allocated or not, would still need to be determined.”

RELATED: No, the federal government is not paying people to get vaccinated

The Coronavirus Ad hoc Committee took a look at recommendations from the County Administration and the American Rescue Plan Community Survey, to come up with a money allocation list.

Planned uses include spending $15 million on the construction and renovation of DSS’s Family Services Center, putting $2 million aside for ambulance vehicles. 

The plan to allocate $4 million to help with the affordable housing crisis and $2 million in funding for services for unhoused people.

Barron saying public safety is being allocated a large sum of money, “Public safety $10,00,400… that is our investment to make sure that we're keeping our citizens safe and we’re addressing gun violence.”

RELATED: Yes, there were more gun deaths among American children than police and military in the line of duty, since 2000

At Tuesday’s meeting the two and half page list of recommendations were approved. 

Now processes will be put into place to help organizations apply to receive the funds.

Nearly $6 million of the COVID recovery funds is yet to be allocated, where and how those dollars would be spent is a decision for the Ad Hoc Committee.

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