Three applications for American Rescue Plan (ARPA) money in Iroquois County have been approved. The Iroquois County Board Tuesday OK’d its first allotment of the federal funds, designed to provide relief to agencies trying to rebound from the effects of the continuing COVID pandemic. An ARPA Committee has the task of reviewing applications. Iroquois County has received its first-half of $5.2 million in federal funds.

ARPA Committee Chairman Paul Ducat said applications are still welcome.  Another committee meeting is set for January 28 at the County Board Room in Watseka. 

The lion’s share of this distribution goes to the Eastern Illinois Mutual Aid Fire Association. Approved was a $350,000 application targeted toward a multi-use facility for housing equipment and establishing an emergency training facility. Ashkum Fire Chief Jeff Glenn is president of the Mutual Aid Association.  He said sites for the planned facility are still being reviewed. Glenn said a centrally-located facility would be preferred to serve all fire departments in Iroquois County. 

There’s $136,000 plus allocated to the Iroquois County Sheriff’s Department for full-body X-ray scanner and another $18,000 for a Video Court & Tele-Health setup inside the Jail facility.

The Ford-Iroquois 4-H Foundation is also provided $18, 600 to aid its enrollment fee program – hard hit by the pandemic over the last year due to cancelled fundraisers.

94.1 WGFA