Nearly $30 million in federal aid is coming to Berrien County thanks to the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan, and officials are being careful about how they use it. Speaking to the Berrien County Board of Commissioners Thursday, Community Development Director Dan Fette said the federal law is not completely clear about how the aid dollars can be spent.
“We can look at our lost revenue and replace that lost revenue in order to continue to provide government services,” Fette said. “This is one of the areas that we’re unclear as to exactly what this means. Lost revenue can mean a lot of different things, and we’re waiting for clarification on that.”
Fette said he’s hoping for clarity from the U.S. Department of Treasury in the coming weeks. In the meantime…
“We are not advising that we do anything this this money right away. Until we get clarification and understand what our obligations are going to be. We have until 2024 to spend all of this money, and we want to do it in a correct and careful manner that has the largest impact for local county government and the community as a whole.”
Fette said the federal law allows for the county to mitigate income losses and help non-profits, essential workers, and affected industries. He also noted there’s a business aid component to the package that will be a big help to restaurants and related businesses. Fette added all communities in Berrien County are getting substantial funds from the federal package, with Benton Harbor and Niles getting the most. He expects money to start arriving within 45 days.
