BY ANDY TAYLOR
chronicle@taylornews.org

Regardless of the varied political views toward the 2009 federal economic stimulus program, there’s little doubt that federal dollars have been trickling in to Montgomery County since the program was created in February.

Known officially as the American Resource and Recovery Act of 2009, the bill was proposed by the Barack Obama administration to create and/or maintain employment, bolster “shovel ready” works projects in local communities, and assist communities and schools with various community-building programs.

And, in Montgomery County, more than $7.3 million has been awarded to local units of government and service agencies since February.

One of the hallmarks of ARRA, as it is known by its more familiar acronym, is the degree of reportability and transparency, allowing the public to quickly find where the federal taxpayer dollars are being spent. ARRA’s official website — www.recovery.gov — enables viewers to see the ARRA awarded projects by zip code.

Just where is the money being spent in Montgomery County?

Some projects are tagged with ARRA signage, such as the recent Fourth Street surface improvement program in Caney, which was awarded more than $138,000 in ARRA funds.

Other programs and services come from ARRA funds but are less denoted with the ARRA emblem. Cases in point: the $400,000 in grants awarded to the City of Cherryvale for assessments of hazardous and petroleum wastes; the more than $1.3 million awarded to Southeast KansasWorks for job employment programs; the more than $398,000 awarded to a Coffeyville housing program for rental assistance payments at the Plaza Apartments; more than $18,000 awarded to USD 446-Independence for the purchase of food service equipment; or the more than $138,000 awarded to Independence Community College through the State Fiscal Stabilization Fund.

In almost all cases, the ARRA funds are pumped through other agencies — for example, the Fourth Street surface improvement program in Caney was administered through the Kansas Department of Transportation — thereby allowing Uncle Sam’s fingerprints to quickly become smudged with the other state and local dollars that are attached to those projects.

However, the ARRA website is intended to show not only who is receiving the money but also how much money is being spent, what vendors are receiving the money, and how the money is designed to assist with job creation or bolster local projects.

Since February, local units of government, state government, and a myriad of governmental agencies in Kansas have been awarded more than $1.3 billion in ARRA funds with $452.9 million of those dollars in circulation in programs, projects and services. The ARRA website claims that the $1.3 billion awarded in Kansas since February has created or maintained 5,935 jobs statewide.

* * * * * *

In Kansas, the American Resource and Recovery Act has awarded $1,313,580,000 to local units of government, state government and numerous governmental agencies since February. Of the $1.3 billion that has been awarded, $452 million has been received by those governmental units and/or agencies.
Here is how the $1.3 billion will be spent:

• Project contracts: $119,486,173

• Program grants: $1,176,183,755

• Program loans: $16,981,907

According to the American Resource and Recovery Act website, the $1.3 billion in ARRA funds has created or maintained 5,935 jobs statewide.

Listed below are the agencies and local units of government in Montgomery County that have been awarded ARRA funds in 2009.

USD 436-Caney Valley
Total amount awarded in 2009: $358,782
• TItle II, Part D: Enhancing education through technology ($2,794)
• Title II, Part A: Improving basic programs operated by local educational agencies ($80,148)
• State Fiscal Stabilization Fund: Education Fund ($275,840)
Total amount thus far in 2009: $358,782

City of Caney
Total amount awarded in 2009: $138,944
• Kansas Department of Transportation grant for the Fourth Street surface enhancement project ($138,944)

CITY OF CHERRYVALE
Total amount awarded in 2009: $495,000
• Cherryvale Brownsfields Petroleum Assessment ($200,000)
• Cherryvale Brownsfields Hazardous Assessment ($200,000)
• Rural Business Enterprise Grant Revolving Loan Fund ($95,000)

USD 447-Cherryvale
Total amount awarded in 2009: $473,806
• TItle II, Part D: Enhancing Education Through Technology ($5,388)
• Title I, Part 1: Improving Basic Programs Operated by Local Educational Agencies ($165,224)
• State Fiscal Stabilization Fund (303,194)

Cherryvale Housing Authority
Total amount awarded in 2009: $40,479
• 2009 ARRA Capital Funds to replace siding, replace guttering, stain fascia and paint door trim at apartments located at 621 E. Fourth

City of Coffeyville
Total amount awarded in 2009: $245,286
• COPS Hiring Grant ($151,991)
• 2009 Recovery Act Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program ($93,295)

Real Property Management Services
Total amount awarded in 2009: $398,723
Rental assistance payments for lessors at the Plaza Apartments, 701 Hibbard ($398,723)
Jobs created: 1.50

USD 445
Total award amount: $988,158
• Child Nutrition Program ($11,400)
• Boys and Girls Club Recovery Act National Youth Mentoring Program ($42,500)
• Title, Part D: Enhancing Education Through Technology ($12,414)
• Title I, Part A: Improving Basic Programs Operated by Local Educational Agencies ($359,997)
• State Fiscal Stabilization Fund ($561,847)

Coffeyville Leasing Housing Associates I, LLP
Total amount awarded in 2009: $95,739
• Rental assistance payments for lessors of the Dale Apartments

Coffeyville Community College
Total award: $175,941
State Fiscal Stabilization Fund: Education Fund ($175,941)

Southeast KansasWorks, Inc.
Total amount awarded: $1,376,805
• WIA Youth/Adult/Dislocated Workers Formula Combined ($705,505)
• WIA Youth/Adult/Dislocated Workers Formula Combined ($271,272)
• WIA Youth/Adult/Dislocated Workers Formula Combined ($400,028)

Montgomery County
Total amount awarded in 2009: $152,989
• 2009 Recovery Act Justice Assistance Grant Program ($3,189)
• Energy Efficiency Retrofits ($149,800) Two jobs created

USD 446-Independence
Total amount awarded in 2009: $900,156
• Provided equipment for school district’s food service operations ($18,952)
• Title II, Part D: Enhancing Education Through Technology
Total award amount ($11,383)
• Title II, Part A: Improving Basic Programs Operated by Local Educational Agencies ($331,436)
• State Fiscal Stabilization Fund ($538,385)

Tri-County Special Education Cooperative Interlocal 607
• Preschool grants for Children With Disabilities ($86,307)
• Grants to States for the Education of Children With Disabilities ($2,049,095)

City of Independence
Total amount awarded in 2009: $1,500,000
• COPS Hiring Grant ($0)
• Community Development Block Grant ($400,000)
• Kansas Public Water Supply Fund ($1,100,000)

Independence Community College
Total amount awarded in 2009: $136,122
• State Fiscal Stabilization Fund ($136,122)