The Lancaster County commissioners reviewed the second of six categories of American Rescue Plan Act community applications on Tuesday, hearing about 11 projects for workforce development.
In total, they are seeking $5.4 million. However, the county’s review committee determined that just three are eligible for funding, Deputy Chief Clerk Amy Campbell said.
That said, two of the three eligible projects — the Lancaster County Career & Technology Center and Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology — involve facility renovations. The county will need further details to ensure that ARPA funds, if granted, would go only to eligible expenses, the commissioners and Campbell agreed.
The commissioners are systematically reviewing all 75 applications received for the county’s second round of ARPA funding, a process they plan to complete before making any grants. Last week, they heard about 11 applications for technology grants, of which two were eligible.
Four more categories — disease mitigation, infrastructure, conservation and affordable housing — are due for review at upcoming work sessions.
The projects considered Tuesday are as follows (the percentage in parentheses is the request as a fraction of total project cost):
Eligible
• Bench Mark, $317,933 (100%): For Bench Mark’s pre-disposition program, which provides intensive mentoring and job training immediately after release to youths placed in juvenile detention for gun crimes.
• Lancaster Career & Technology Center, $875,000 (52%): Renovations and equipment.
• Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology, $995,000 (10%): Renovations of the “Alms House” behind the Lancaster Nursing & Rehabilitation Center (formerly Conestoga View) to house short-term workforce training programs.
Ineligible
(Note: The committee’s rationales for ruling these projects ineligible are given in italics.)
• Box Out Bullying, $50,000 (36%): Bullying prevention in schools. The program is not workforce development under federal ARPA standards and does not address a county ARPA priority.
• Community First Fund $500,000 (10%): Small business revolving loan fund. Small business support is not a county priority for ARPA funding.
• EMS Workforce Education Center, $462,000 (50%): Development of an emergency medical personnel training center. The request focuses primarily on ineligible capital expenses.
• Lancaster County Special Olympics $60,671 (20%): Technology and program updates. Program is not workforce development under federal ARPA standards; does not address a county ARPA priority and would not be sustainable after funding expires.
• Lancaster County Therapeutic Riding, $12,750 (36%): Therapy for first responders. Program is not workforce development under federal ARPA standards.
• Lancaster County Workforce Development Board, $562,703 (26%): Workforce training programs. Eligible under federal guidelines but not the county’s, because it funds an existing program, might require grant subrecipients and would not be sustainable after funding expires.
• Lotus Outreach Foundation, $131,250 (100%): Provider training for home care service for seniors. The program does not meet federal guidelines and would not be sustainable after funding expires.
• North Museum, $100,000 (67%): Quarterly STEM summits. Program is not workforce development under federal ARPA standards; and would not be sustainable after funding expires.
