The Sedgwick County Commission deferred a vote on approving the county's nearly $46.3 million ARPA spending plan for 2023.
The debate centered on the amount of funding earmarked for Recovery Connect, a program that assists in the economic recovery from the pandemic. Recovery Connect was slated to receive $500 thousand in 2023 and $250 thousand in 2024.
The National COVID emergency ends on May 11. Commissioner David Dennis said now is the time to wind down the program.
By the next quarter, the county will come up with a contract to either sunset the program or continue on with a focus solely on workforce, child care, and non-profits impacted specifically by COVID-19.
Sedgwick County received roughly $100.2 million dollars in American Rescue Plan Act funding from the federal government.
In related news, the county's fiscal condition remains sound, according to a quarterly report from the finance department.
They continue to monitor several factors outside of the county's control including inflation, rising interest rates, recession concerns and the national labor market.
Supply chain issues continue for some areas of their organization. County leaders are also keeping tabs of federal and state legislative decisions that could have impacts as well.
Workforce challenges, evolving technology needs, meeting the community's service expectations while remaining fiscally responsible and needs for space all present challenges on the county's budget.