Jury commits ARPA dollars to rural water corp.

The Acadia Parish Police Jury has committed $1.107 million for use by the Mire Branch Water Corp. for the construction of a new water tower. The funding will come from the first installment of the parish’s American Rescue Plan Act funding.
In other action Tuesday night, Chance Henry and Steve Comeaux were re-elected president and vice president, respectively. Henry was re-elected by acclimation. Comeaux defeated Walter Andrus by a vote of 5-2.
Voting for Comeaux were Jeff Morgan, Gordon Ray Morgan, A.J. “Jay” Credeur, Pat Daigle and Comeaux. Jimmie Pellerin and Andrus voted for Andrus.
This will be the third consecutive year of service for each of the officers.
Acadia Parish is projected to receive nearly $12.1 million in ARPA funding distributed directly from the U.S. Treasury to the parish in two “tranches.” The first tranche was received in mid-2021; the second is expected in June or July.
There are four eligible uses for the ARPA funds:
• To respond to the public health emergency or its negative economic impacts, including assistance to household, small businesses and nonprofits, or aid to impacted industries such as tourism, travel and hospitality;
• To respond to workers performing essential work during the COVID-19 public health emergency by providing premium pay to eligible workers;
• For the provision of government services to the extent of the reduction in revenue due to the COVID-19 public health emergency relative to revenues collected in the most recent full fiscal prior to the emergency; and
• To make necessary investments in water, sewer or broadband infrastructure.
Funds can be used to cover project costs incurred on or after March 3 but before Dec. 31, 2024. The project must be completed by Dec. 31, 2026.
Larry Cramer, chief professional civil engineer with Sellers and Associates, Inc., explained that the Louisiana legislature passed Act 410 of the 2021 Regular Session which created the Water Sector Fund, allocating $300 million of the state’s ARPA funds to be used to fund the water Sector Fund. Applications for that money will be received by the state beginning Aug. 1 and require at least a local 25% match to be considered.
The state recommended that local entities, such as the police jury, utilize their ARPA funds as the match for these applications.
Total cost of the Mire Branch Water Corp.’s project is $3.81 million.
“We’re asking the police jury for 41% in hopes that it will increase our points with the state,” Cramer said. If the application is approved, the state will put up the remaining $2.7 million from its Water Sector Funds, he added.
“It’s a matter of getting a commitment to basically fund the project, and time is of the essence,” Chris Savoy, treasurer of the corporation said, adding that the Mire Branch Water Corp. is the “largest and fastest-growing” water corporation in the parish.
The jury voted unanimously to commit the funding amount requested -- $1,107,738.
The parish has already committed $3 million of the first $6 million in ARPA funding to broadband infrastructure.