Manlius seeks input on ARPA funds

TOWN OF MANLIUS – A lot of people wonder what they would do if they had a million dollars.
The town of Manlius is asking residents to wonder along with them.
Of the $2.02 million the town received in American Rescue Plan Act funding, approximately $1.77 remains unspent and the town has begun the process of soliciting feedback on how community residents would like that money to be spent.
The town board has identified 19 potential projects that could be funded with ARPA money and is asking residents to respond to a survey ranking these projects, from Not At All Important to Very Important.
The survey can be found at https://townofmanlius.civilspace.io/en/projects/5. The survey will be open through Oct. 26.
The projects vary widely in price and focus, from considering the feasibility of a new town hall, to hiring a comptroller to a composting program.
ARPA funds must be obligated by the end of 2024 and must be spent by the end of 2026. To fit within the rules of the funding, they should be allocated toward short-term projects and not be used for ongoing operational costs. For instance, if the town were to fund a new comptroller position through ARPA funding, it would need to incorporate that cost into the town’s normal budgeting process by 2026.
Of the money the town has already spent, the vast majority ($180,000) was spent on new radios for the police department. Other smaller expenditures have been made in IT equipment at town hall, communications equipment in the board room, and about $25,000 for the highway department.