KANAWHA SET TO RECEIVE $17.3 MILLION

Charleston, W.Va. – On May 5, 2022, the Kanawha County Commission submitted its drawdown request for the second round of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding. Kanawha County will receive its second ARPA payment, in the amount of $17,299,249.50, directly from the U.S. Treasury.

Commission President Kent Carper said, “From the beginning, Kanawha County committed itself to complete and total transparency, and we have done just that. Every ARPA dollar we have spent has been discussed and voted on in a public meeting.” Commissioner Carper continued, “Kanawha County has used these funds as intended — to respond to the pandemic and make lasting investments in our communities. We will maintain the same commitment with the second round of funding.”

Commissioner Ben Salango added, “I’m extremely proud of how we’ve allocated the funds so far. Our TEAM Vaccinate program was a huge success. It helped keep kids in school and sports seasons going during the pandemic. I want to thank Senator Joe Manchin for supporting counites and cities throughout West Virginia with American Rescue Plan funding.”

Commissioner Lance Wheeler noted, “Kanawha County has used the ARPA funds prudently – we’ve funded projects that make an immediate impact while also making long-term investments in our communities. With the second round of funding, I want to pursue economic development, infrastructure, and projects that benefit all the citizens of Kanawha County.”

Kanawha County received its initial allocation of $17,299,249.50 on May 17, 2021. The ARAP projects that have been funded to date include the following:

• $1,167,500 for TEAM Vaccinate to encourage COVID Vaccinations in students and young people. Over 250 teams participated in the program.
• $236,375 to Kanawha Valley Senior Services to provide meals to seniors, with more than 84,000 meals provided so far.
• $1,150,000 to West Virginia Health Right, to construct a new clinic and to hire a behavioral health and substance abuse counselor.
• $700,000 to the Kanawha Charleston Health Department to replace lost revenue due to COVID-19 and to provide free flu vaccines to Kanawha County residents.
• $678,000 to the Kanawha County Regional Development Authority for the Crestwood Water Project.
• $120,000 to local food banks to address food insecurity in Kanawha County.
• $764,792 to West Virginia State University for scholarships and to establish a new Cyber Security Innovation Center.
• $1,000,000 toward the demolition of blighted and abandoned structures. American Rescue Plan Funds can be used to respond to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, replace lost public revenues, support economic stabilization, and make necessary investments in water, sewer, and broadband infrastructure.

Kanawha County’s American Rescue Plan funding decisions and applications can be viewed at www.kanawha.us