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STONECREST, GA– The Stonecrest City Council approved recommendations for the initial allocation of $9.7 million in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds at its Aug. 22 meeting.
City officials said the first phase will distribute $5.7 million aimed at residents and businesses as well as supporting both education and youth programs.
The initial allocations approved at Monday’s meeting included the following categories:
Small business support, $2 million
Educational support, $1.2 million
Residential assistance, $1 million
Parks’ upgrades, $900,000)
New youth programs, $500,000
Stonecrest Citizens Academy, $100,000
“This federal investment provides a once-in-a-generation opportunity to help restore the lives of individuals, families and businesses most impacted by the pandemic,” said Mayor Jazzmin Cobble. “We appreciate the residents, business owners and area stakeholders who shared their thoughts during our community engagement process this summer. Their recommendations and input are guiding our decisions and allowing us to define the priorities that are most important to Stonecrest.”
The city’s staff will use the approved categories as a roadmap toward developing long-term recovery programs and providing project proposals to the city.
The city plans to disburse its ARPA funds in two phases. A second set of allocations will be determined at a future date.
“Investment in Stonecrest will occur in more than two phases,” said Cobble. “However, we must be strategic in the allocation of these federal resources in order to address the urgent needs of our city.”