(Batesville, IN) – Batesville City Council approved a resolution Monday night to distribute $290,228.94 in final appropriations from the American Rescue Plan (ARP) Coronavirus Fund.
The lion’s share of that amount is going to Batesville Main Street. The organization will use $100,000 to rehab the historic Ward Building at the corner of Catherine and Sycamore and repurpose it for downtown retail.
That facility next to Kids Discovery Factory and behind the Memorial Building was originally used as a Kindergarten and for first and second grade classes but since then has either sat empty or been occupied by local organizations.
Also receiving funds are the Batesville Beautification League, which will use $76,253.94 to repair and improve the Village Green concrete and pavers near the gazebo; Golden Villa Apartments will use $79,800 to deal with infrastructure and plumbing issues, and $34,175 is going to Safe Passage, Inc. to finish renovations on the 3rd floor of the agency’s emergency shelter.
Also known as the COVID-19 Stimulus Package, ARP is a $1.9 trillion economic stimulus package signed into law by President Joe Biden in March 2021.
By December 31 of this year, local governments need to have obligated ARPA funds with plans to spend the money by the end of 2026.
Any leftover money that is not distributed will have to be returned to the federal government.
