Communities Await Details on ARPA

Vol. XLVIII, No. 4 A Publication of the Massachusetts Municipal Association | www.mma.org April 2021 Communities await details on ARPA By Jackie Lavender Bird The Treasury Department is responsible Local officials across the country are for making final decisions about specific eagerly awaiting guidance from the U.S. allocation amounts, and those details, Treasury Department for clarity on how along with specific guidance on allowable American Rescue Plan funds can be spent uses, are expected in the coming weeks. and exactly how much they’ll get. The law calls for the funds to begin being disbursed 60 days after enactment. Signed into law on March 11, the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan Act provides Working with information from the U.S. the latest round of stimulus funding to House of Representatives Committee on address the impacts of the COVID-19 pan- Oversight and the National League of demic. The federal aid package includes Cities, the MMA has provided estimates $350 billion in direct aid to states, local for direct aid that Massachusetts munici- Heath Fahle, special director for federal governments, tribes and territories. palities could receive from the act, though funds at the Executive Office for the numbers should be considered prelim- Administration and Finance, discusses the The law creates new state and local coro- inary and will likely be adjusted somewhat implications of the American Rescue Plan navirus relief funds, with $220 billion by the Treasury, due to refinements in for municipalities during a March 23 call going to states, tribal governments and identifying the numbers, types and cate- with local officials convened by the MMA. territories, and $130 billion going directly gorization of cities and towns across the to municipal and county governments. nation that will qualify for direct aid in the The legislation also includes $10 billion for final allocation. will receive approximately $368 million coronavirus capital relief funds for state distributed on a per-capita basis. Coun- governments. In Massachusetts, 37 “Metropolitan ties will receive about $1.336 billion, also Cities” (generally communities with distributed on a per-capita basis. Estimates for Massachusetts indicate that populations above 50,000) will receive cities and towns could receive as much as about $1.7 billion distributed through a The American Rescue Plan directs a $3 billion in direct aid. modified Community Development Block substantial portion of Coronavirus Local Grant formula, and all other communities n RESCUE PLAN continued on 21 President unveils $2 trillion infrastructure plan Inside By John Ouellette access to broadband and clean water At a March 31 event in Pittsburgh, Pres- — but also investing in research and MMA calls for increased ident Joe Biden unveiled his $2 trillion development, so that we can make in Ch. 70 funding .......................3 American Jobs Plan, the first of two the U.S. and sell around the world 21st packages he’ll be filing to rebuild the century products.” Legislature OK’s benefits bill economy and create jobs. The package will invest in the “care econ- with mandated sick leave.......3 The president says the infrastructure omy,” so more people who need care can Law extends pandemic- package will create millions of good-pay- access it and to ensure that the government is supporting essential caregiving related voting changes ..........5 ing jobs, fix 20,000 miles of roads and 10,000 bridges, and invest in a range of jobs. Survey measures pandemic physical infrastructure projects, in- It will also target investments in impacts on municipalities .....11 cluding transportation, broadband, the communities of color and rural com- electric grid and housing. munities, and address climate change Around the Commonwealth ........... 16 In a statement, the White House said, through an environmental justice and clean energy economic approach. People ................................................24 “This is a once-in-a-century capital investment in America to not only meet The spending would take place over Classifieds .........................................28 our current infrastructure needs — like eight years, according to Biden admin- rebuilding crumbling roads and bridges istration officials, and will not in every Calendar ............................................33 and making sure every American has n INFRASTRUCTURE PLAN continued on 8 2021 MMA Board of Directors Executive Director’s Report The MMA Board of Directors holds regular meetings in Boston, followed by a meeting of Unprecedented federal aid creates great the Local Government Advisory Commission with the administration. For information on opportunity and immense responsibility the board’s activities, call the office of MMA With one sweep of his pen, Pres- campaign across the country to Executive Director Geoff Beckwith at 617-426- ident Joe Biden transformed mobilize municipal leaders to 7272. the largest federal aid bill in our call on their lawmakers to make Executive Committee nation’s history into the law of similar commitments. Our U.S. Adam Chapdelaine, MMA President the land. The $1.9 trillion Amer- senators and representatives Town Manager, Arlington ican Rescue Plan Act, or ARPA, delivered. NLC delivered. And Ruthanne Fuller, MMA Vice President will soon send an unprecedented the MMA is proud of its active Mayor, Newton $350 billion in direct federal aid role supporting, educating and Cecilia Calabrese, MMA Immediate Past to cities, towns, counties, terri- By Geoffrey informing stakeholders and the President tories and states. Beckwith public of the urgent need for Councillor, Agawam sweeping federal relief. Michael Bettencourt, MSA President All-in, Massachusetts will receive Select Board Member, Winchester approximately $8 billion in direct state, Yet this victory is just the beginning of Lisa Blackmer, MMCA President local and county funding, including a new and enormous challenge: how to Councillor, North Adams approximately $3 billion that will flow pivot, plan, act and lead to turn ARPA’s Brian Boyle, ATFC President to our 351 cities and towns. In addition, promise of rescue and recovery into a Finance Committee, Bolton the package will send us billions more reality. George “Bud” Dunham, MMMA First Vice for education, transit, housing, public President Great opportunity brings great health and other vital needs, as well as Town Manager, Sandwich responsibility Scott Galvin, MMaA President tens of billions to residents through enhanced unemployment benefits and While the details will become clearer Mayor, Woburn after the U.S. Treasury Department Julie Jacobson, MMMA President direct stimulus checks. Town Manager, Auburn provides specific guidance by next After more than a year in crisis mode, month, the scope of our new federal Jeovanny Rodriguez, MMCA First Vice managing and leading during the worst President aid is known. With approximately $3 Councillor, Lawrence public health emergency in more than a billion flowing directly to our 351 cities John Trickey, ATFC First Vice President century, ARPA is a huge victory for local and towns, every community, from the Finance Committee, Pelham governments, providing the resources smallest to the largest, will receive an Linda Tyer, MMaA First Vice President and investments we need to recover, unprecedented amount of funding to Mayor, Pittsfield restore and renew our communities and use by December 2024 to combat the Michael Walsh, MSA First Vice President our economy. pandemic and invest in our residents, Select Board Member, Westwood ARPA’s passage was not easy. From the businesses and communities to recharge Geoff Beckwith (non-voting) our economy and rebuild our future. MMA Executive Director start, our powerful federal delegation was united in their support and advo- Local leaders will now have the awe- cacy for direct aid to cities and towns, some responsibility of allocating and Brian Arrigo, Mayor, Revere and our national affiliate, the National deploying these funds to achieve the Steve Bartha, Town Manager, Danvers League of Cities, waged a relentless Lisa Braccio, Selectman, Southborough n DIRECTOR’S REPORT continued on 18 Ralph Figy, Councillor, Westfield Andrew Flanagan, Town Manager, Andover Claire Freda, Councillor, Leominster Periodicals Postage Paid at Boston, MA, and Jill Hai, Select Board, Lexington TheBeacon additional mailing offices. Andrew Hogeland, Select Board, Williamstown April 2021 | Volume XLVIII, Number 4 TheBeacon (ISSN 0199-235X) is published monthly, Donna Holaday, Mayor, Newburyport Copyright © 2021, Massachusetts Municipal Association except for a combined July-August issue, by the Thomas Hutcheson, Town Administrator, Conway Manager of Communications & Massachusetts Municipal Association, 3 Center Kim Janey, Mayor, Boston Publications & Digital Membership Director Plaza, Suite 610, Boston, MA 02108. The MMA Diane Kennedy, Select Board, Cohasset Communications Candace Pierce is composed of the Massachusetts Selectmen’s Afroz Khan, Councillor, Newburyport John Ouellette Publisher Association, the Massachusetts Mayors’ Association, John McLaughlin, Councillor, Waltham Associate Editor Geoffrey Beckwith the Massachusetts Municipal Management Association, the Massachusetts Municipal Dan Matthews, Select Board, Needham Jennifer Kavanaugh Design Councillors’ Association, and the Association of David Narkewicz, Mayor, Northampton Digital Communications Full Circle Design Town Finance Committees. Subscription rate for Moises Rodrigues, Councillor,

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