When all the bills are paid for improvements made to the exterior of the courthouse, when the cost of the installation of an elevator is accounted for and when the expense of building two winter road-materials storage sheds is covered there likely will be little — if any — American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) money left to divide among any of the 16 applicants who have been waiting about two years for a share of the federal post-pandemic economic recovery money allocated to Gasconade County.

At last week’s session of the County Commission, held in the Owensville City Hall, Treasurer Mike Feagan reported that $551,548 remained in the operating budget’s account created to hold the county’s $2.8-million ARPA money. That compares to the $2.174 million that was in the account at this time a year ago.

Gasconade County received its ARPA money in two allocations of $1.4 million each. That 2022 money came on the heels of the CARES Act, another pandemic-related appropriation that was aimed at covering the expenses of state and local government agencies in dealing with the effects of the coronavirus. The CARES Act money went to such agencies as ambulance districts and police departments to cover purchases of personal protective equipment and, in some instances, new radio and computer equipment treated with anti-virus materials. At the county courthouse, new doors with an automatic opening device — designed to prevent the spread of COVID — were installed at a cost of $40,000.

ARPA money was intended to help businesses, government agencies and non-profit organizations recover some for the financial hit they took as a result of the pandemic. The huge federal outlay of money was intended to kickstart an economy that had been stalled largely as a result of pandemic lockdown. County government administrators agreed to allocate up to $50,000 per application out of the initial $1.4-million allocation for small businesses, non-profits and government agencies for projects that would stimulate the local economy. The applications for a share of the funding was vetted by Meramec Regional Planning Commission (MRPC), which also administered the county’s CARES Act distribution.

Of the total amount available to distribute, which county officials at the time thought would be gobbled up, only about $600,000 was distributed, leaving slightly more than $2 million available for a second round of distribution. The County Commission at that time agreed to lift the $50,000 limit in order to make more money available for larger infrastructure projects, some of which were estimated to be about $100,000 or more. Sixteen applications were received for a portion of the second-round money.

However, as MRPC was busy verifying the legitimacy of the applications, which totaled about $1.4 million worth of projects, the federal government shifted course on ARPA, deciding to let county governments keep the money and use it however county officials wished. That’s where the county-related projects come in. County administrators saw this as an opportunity to tackle several projects that had gone undone for lack of money.

The County Commission met with all officeholders and courthouse staff to talk about potential projects that could be funded with ARPA money. At the top of the list was an elevator.

While there has not been a public clamor for an elevator in the historic structure — all second-floor services can be provided on the first floor if a person is unable to climb the stairs — courthouse staff and officeholders have long argued for a lift in the building. An elevator became Job 1 for the ARPA money. Then came other projects such as renovation of the exterior of the courthouse, smaller projects and the construction of two hoop storage sheds to hold road salt and cinders for use during winter months.

All of those projects, when the numbers are finally tallied — the county must have all ARPA money obligated (contracted for use) by the end of this year; all money must be spent by the end of 2026 — there likely will be a scant amount for any of the 16 applicants who have been waiting for word from county officials for the better part of two years.

Presiding Commissioner Tim Schulte, R-Hermann, doesn’t sound optimistic about the applicants getting any real money for their projects.

“I just don’t know if there’s going to be a whole lot left” after the county projects are paid for, he said during last week’s session. “I can’t answer that at this time, I just don’t know,” he added, when asked about the likelihood of a second round of distribution.

But there could be a good idea of just how much, or how little, will be available in the near future.

“We’re going to know in a couple of months,” said the county treasurer.