January 25, 2022
By: Dwayne Page
The Tennessee Department of Health has plans to build a new 12,000 square foot health department center in Smithville in partnership with DeKalb County using American Rescue Plan Act Funding.
County Mayor Tim Stribling made the announcement during Monday night’s monthly county commission meeting. The location for the new facility has not yet been determined but could be built on county owned property adjacent to the site of the current health department building on Allen’s Ferry Road. The project is estimated to cost $3,915,400 but most of it would be funded from the state’s allocation of American Recovery Plan Act funding. The county would have to come up with a local match of $398,000 but Mayor Stribling said the good news is that the county would be allowed to use a portion of its American Rescue Plan Act funds to meet the match.
“This is exciting news. I got a visit last week from our Regional Health Director Angel Troxell and our County Health Director Michael Railing and they had a letter from Tennessee Department of Health Commissioner Lisa Piercey informing me that DeKalb County will be getting a new health department in the next few years. It is tentatively to be about a 12,000 square foot building. The total cost is $3,915,400 which includes surveys, environmental impact statements, engineering fees, land preparation, land clearing and site prep, utilities, etc. Normally that would require a 25% match from the county. If that were the case, the state would be putting in $2,936,500 and the county’s share out of our general fund would be $978,900 in local taxpayer dollars. However, because of the $130 million in American Recovery Plan Act (ARPA) funds the state has received we are eligible to use up to 10% of our local ARP funds or $398,000 without having to spend local tax dollars and the state would then be funding $3,517,400,” said County Mayor Stribling.
The letter to County Mayor Stribling from Commissioner Piercey is as follows:
“The State’s Financial Stimulus Accountability Group (FSAG) recently approved almost $130 million in American Recovery Plan Act (ARPA) funding to enhance the statewide public health infrastructure through capital investments in local health departments”.
“As you know, many local health departments are in need of updates, renovations, and potentially replacement. Through an internal assessment, the department has highlighted projects that are believed to be of the highest priority to enhancing services in your communities.”
“The department will establish reimbursable capital investment grants with each county government to deliver funds to support construction and renovation projects at county-owned health department facilities. These capital investment grants will require a local financial match for the proposed projects”.
“Local matching funds may come from the county’s direct allocation of ARPA Funds. The department encourages this practice as this would lessen the burden on local general fund obligations and align with the intent of the FSAG-approved capital investment proram. Each capital investment grant will require a 25% match of the project’s total cost not to exceed 10% of the county’s ARPA direct allocation”.
“The department will take the next few weeks to establish infrastructure to administer this program, create guidance documents for the program, and finalize the estimated costs of projects. Once these tasks are close to completion the department will issue further guidance”.
“Your local health department and regional health directors will serve as your primary points of contact for these projects. They will follow up with further information over the next several weeks”.
“As always, I appreciate your partnership in delivering crucial services to the people if Tennessee” wrote Commissioner Piercey.
The county commission has not yet voted to commit local matching funding for the project and no date has yet been set by the state or county to move forward.