Treasury Dept. Updates ARPA Faqs by Jackie Lavender Bird the Treasury Department, the Federal the U.S
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Vol. XLVIII, No. 7 A Publication of the Massachusetts Municipal Association | www.mma.org Summer 2021 Treasury Dept. updates ARPA FAQs By Jackie Lavender Bird The Treasury Department, the federal The U.S. Department of the Treasury agency responsible for administering continues to release answers to new the program, issued initial guidance — frequently asked questions regarding its Interim Final Rule — in early May. the expenditure of Coronavirus State Since then, the Treasury has published and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds under expanded guidance for eligible expenses the American Rescue Plan Act. through an FAQ document. The latest iteration of the FAQ was issued on July The latest guidance increases flexibility 14. for spending in all four eligible expense categories articulated in the law: Response to the public health emergency or its negative • Response to the public health economic consequences emergency or its negative economic U.S. Treasury Building consequences The initial guidance from Treasury provides for a wide range of potential • Provision of premium pay to eligible unemployment insurance trust funds workers uses, including COVID-19 mitigation and containment, behavioral health care to pre-pandemic levels. Recipients may • Revenue replacement to address situations exacerbated by the also use funding to build internal capaci- • Investments in water, sewer and pandemic, and public health and safety ty to successfully implement economic broadband infrastructure employee costs. relief programs, with investments in data analysis, targeted outreach and The guidance around negative economic The $1.9 trillion ARPA federal relief technology infrastructure. package, signed into law on March 11, consequences includes rebuilding public sector capacity, including by rehiring includes $360 billion for State and Local n FAQ continued on 12 Government Fiscal Recovery Funds. public sector staff, and replenishing Inside Gov. signs law with $200M for Ch. 90 By Ariela Lovett On July 16, Gov. Charlie Baker signed a Gov. Baker signs FY22 $350 million transportation bond bill that state budget ...........................3 level-funds the Chapter 90 local road and bridge program at $200 million. Legislature OK’s bill to extend voting provisions ...... 4 The law adds $150 million for six munici- pal grant programs to the transportation Legislature drafting rules bond bill passed at the end of the 2020- on voting districts ..................5 2021 legislative session. The final version of the law represents a consensus between MMA relaunches MassTown House and Senate versions, debated and Careers campaign ................... 9 voted on in recent weeks, with each branch Cities and towns will again receive $200 proposing additional funds for a different million this fiscal year through the Chapter Around the Commonwealth ........... 16 combination of grant programs. 90 local road and bridge program. The law authorizes an additional $25 Mass Innovations ............................. 20 million each for the municipal small bridge People ................................................26 program; a bottleneck relief program; In comments to reporters on July 15, Rep. transit-supportive infrastructure; munic- William Straus, House chair of the Joint Classifieds .........................................29 ipal bus transit; municipal mass transit Committee on Transportation, explained access; and electric vehicles and related the Legislature’s approach. Calendar ............................................37 infrastructure. n CHAPTER 90 continued on 28 2021 MMA Board of Directors Executive Director’s Report The MMA Board of Directors holds regular meetings in Boston, followed by a meeting of Celebrating John Robertson the Local Government Advisory Commission with the administration. For information on As you may have heard, the efforts to persuade governors, the board’s activities, call the office of MMA MMA’s much-admired Legislative lawmakers, cabinet secretaries Executive Director Geoff Beckwith at 617-426- Director, John Robertson, will be and countless others to recognize 7272. retiring on August 1st, just a few the invaluable role of cities and days from now. All of us on the towns in building a high quality Executive Committee MMA staff have known this day of life and strong future for our Adam Chapdelaine, MMA President was coming for many months, but residents and communities. Town Manager, Arlington that doesn’t make his departure He’s partnered with advoca- Ruthanne Fuller, MMA Vice President By Geoffrey Mayor, Newton any easier. This is my chance to cy groups and stakeholders, Beckwith Cecilia Calabrese, MMA Immediate Past share our appreciation for his forged coalitions when possible, President remarkable and distinguished and maintained positive and Councillor, Agawam service to every community in Massachu- respectful relationships when that wasn’t Michael Bettencourt, MSA President setts. possible. John is deeply respected because Select Board Member, Winchester John’s service to the MMA began 31 years of his knowledge, professionalism, even- Lisa Blackmer, MMCA President keeled personality, trustworthiness, and Councillor, North Adams ago, in 1990. And during every moment of the past three decades, he has been his selflessness. For John, it’s the MMA’s Brian Boyle, ATFC President mission that has driven him and rewarded Finance Committee, Bolton nothing short of superb. John is rightly recognized as an unrivaled policy expert him, not personal recognition — which is George “Bud” Dunham, MMMA First Vice kind of ironic, since he’s recognized and President and passionate advocate and defender of Town Manager, Sandwich local government. He’s a true policy wonk appreciated by virtually everyone who Scott Galvin, MMaA President (that term didn’t exist when he started!). knows him. Mayor, Woburn He loves arcane policy details, and as an Along the way, John has also been a great Julie Jacobson, MMMA President extension of his passion, including local friend to everyone on the MMA staff and Town Manager, Auburn aid formulas and reimbursement frame- to everyone on the Board, on our commit- Jeovanny Rodriguez, MMCA First Vice President works, he has the innate ability to trans- tees, and in our communities — always Councillor, Lawrence form data and abstract concepts into a supportive, always caring, always there John Trickey, ATFC First Vice President complete understanding of the real-world for us. He is a respectful and wise confi- Finance Committee, Pelham impact and meaning of legislation and dant, a wonderful listener, and a constant Linda Tyer, MMaA First Vice President regulations. A true “small d” democrat, supportive presence. Mayor, Pittsfield John believes in government as a force for And very, very diplomatic. Over the years Michael Walsh, MSA First Vice President good, as the glue that holds our society Select Board Member, Westwood I’ve popped into John’s office countless together. He’s an idealist and a pragmatist times, asking for his opinion on new ideas Geoff Beckwith (non-voting) — a perfect combination that enables him MMA Executive Director and suggestions. When my ideas were to be both a thinker and a doer for cities impractical or strange or the opposite of and towns. what we should do, John wouldn’t react, Brian Arrigo, Mayor, Revere For the past 10 years, John has been the he’d slowly repeat back what I had just Steve Bartha, Town Manager, Danvers Lisa Braccio, Selectman, Southborough MMA’s Legislative Director, leading our n DIRECTOR’S REPORT continued on 28 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 Summer 2021 | Volume XLVIII, Number 7 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 Town Manager, Dalton Thomas Hutcheson, Manager of Communications & Massachusetts Municipal Association, 3 Center Kim Janey, Mayor, Boston Publications & Digital Membership Director Plaza, Suite 610, Boston, MA 02108. 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Peter Spellios, Select Board, Swampscott Massachusetts Municipal Association POSTMASTER: Send address changes to TheBeacon, Eric Steinhilber, Councillor, Barnstable Massachusetts Interlocal Insurance Association 3 Center Plaza, Suite 610, Boston, MA 02108. 3 Center Plaza, Suite 610, Boston, MA 02108 Kevin Sweet, Town Administrator, Wrentham We encourage readers to send comments, story ideas, news Arthur Vigeant, Mayor, Marlborough 617-426-7272 • www.mma.org