During the Greenbelt City Council meeting of Monday, February 14, Covid-19 and American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds were significant topics. A second article deals with other council business covered that evening.
Booster Bonus
Councilmember Kristen
Weaver proposed a motion to pay a bonus to city employees who complete the Covid-19 booster shot (College Park was said to have paid $500 per fully vaccinated employee). Acting City Manager Tim George noted that 295 of 310 city employees were initially vaccinated but only 21 have recorded having boosters as of the last report. Surprised by such a low number of boosted staff, the News Review checked further. This revealed that, though this very low “boosted” number was used in part to justify the bonus, it is not accurate or complete. Two vaccinations (one for J&J) and allied documentation were required of staff, but booster shots and documentation are not a requirement. The 295 vaccinated staff number is likely quite accurate, but the 21 known boosted individuals turned in documentation without it being asked. But because it wasn’t required, others did not. The real number of boosted staff is therefore unknown – though likely considerably higher.
Weaver suggested that employees should have until the end of March to submit proof of booster shot receipt and those employees not now vaccinated at all would need to have completed a full sequence. She proposed that the bonus not apply to council and that it be retroactive to those who have already received a booster. No suggestion was made to make the booster a requirement.
A $100-per-employee bonus for a booster was suggested by Mayor Emmett Jordan (~$30K total) which could be drawn from ARPA funds. Councilmember Rodney Roberts was opposed, stating he felt it was a duty to be vaccinated for the benefit of others and that people shouldn’t be paid for it. Councilmember Silke Pope agreed in principle that it was an individual responsibility but said she still thought the bonus should be done. Councilmember Colin Byrd wanted to hold off and was more in favor of making the full course of vaccinations mandatory. The motion passed but with Byrd and Roberts opposed.
ARPA Rental Support
George described the rationale behind the request for $200K in additional funding to be drawn from ARPA resources to continue rental assistance. The plan is to use that assistance to buy time that allows those who need the support to simultaneously benefit from ARPA-supported workforce development programs anticipated by the city. These include work development, employment assistance and child-care support. These emerging programs are focused on the ability to be self-sustaining, moving rent support recipients to a point where they can pay their own rent.
George noted that the duration of ARPA support is limited and that developing independence will cushion the disappearance of ARPA funds in 2024. In response to a question, he noted that about 10 percent of recipients are coming back multiple times for assistance. Accordingly, the rules have been updated so that recipients can only re-apply after three months and must at that time be recertified. George noted that Covid-related circumstances are still a requirement for assistance. Byrd asked for information on spending so far of the overall ARPA funding. Pope was in favor of allocating the funds for rent relief one last time but would be less receptive of doing so in future so that the money could be used for other needs.
Residents Lore Rosenthal, Bob Rand and Bill Orleans all supported the additional $200K request but were inclined toward a more generous or a longer-term provision of rent support.
George, commenting on the city’s plan to incorporate public feedback into the planning for longer-term ARPA fund use, stated that he anticipated that the ability to go online to input comments may be available within February and that the majority of the comment gathering would be done during March (including three public meetings), before the budget deliberations. The $200K request was carried unanimously.
ARPA Owner Support
Also of concern was the continuing low usage of funds for owners, particularly in condominium developments. George related that the city has made multiple efforts to encourage homeowner associations to spread the word, although a recent approach to the city by one local condo association, which currently had a shortfall of $45,000, indicates that owners unable to keep up are not getting the message.