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Date: 5/24/2022
SOUTH HADLEY – During their first meeting following Town Meeting, the Selectboard voted and approved a handful of non-capital projects with the use of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding, totaling $511,500.
The town still had just over $4 million in ARPA funding remaining before the meeting and are continuing the process of deciding which projects should take priority with the remaining funds.
One of the largest requests approved during the meeting was $194,500 over a three-year stretch for the South Hadley Chamber of Commerce, which is seeking to create a series of programs to support South Hadley businesses impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. Town Administrator Lisa Wong said the programs will reflect a survey sent to local businesses about COVID-19-related challenges.
“Several surveys have shown a significant number of our businesses here have had COVID[-19] issues,” Wong said.
Wong added the funding will go toward bringing in a series of consultants to help with marketing and business planning over the next couple of years. She also mentioned providing webinars and training for business owners in learning how to overcome the obstacles faced from the pandemic.
Also approved for the ARPA funding was the re-implementation of a public health nurse in South Hadley. The full-time position has a salary of $83,500 and according to Wong, she did not put this in this year’s budget as she intended to evaluate the position over the next year to see if it should go back in the budget next year. The total cost for this position over the next three years will be $212,000, the largest total of any of the requests approved.
Another project approved was $30,000 over an almost three-year period for Neighbors Helping Neighbors. For fiscal year 2023 (FY23), $10,000 worth of ARPA funding will help go towards purchasing food and non-perishable items for the food bank. The goal of the funding is to purchase the balance needed to provide adequate nutritional assistance to low- and moderate-income individuals.
Five thousand dollars will be allocated to Neighbors Helping Neighbors for the current fiscal year before it ends on June 30. The remaining $15,000 will be allocated in FY24. Wong also mentioned a long-term project of the food bank was to buy a food delivery truck to reach more people in need who typically don’t make it in to the food bank itself.
“I like the idea of that long-term project,” said Wong.
The last project of note approved through this funding was $50,000 to the Cultural Council to put on a multi-day celebration of arts and culture in South Hadley. The project is envisioned to support local restaurants and artists that will feature food, live performances, presentations and workshops in a variety of public and commercial venues over a multi-day period.
Particular attention at the events will be paid to showcasing diverse racial, cultural and ethnic artforms and exposing thousands of residents of all ages to performances and exhibits not typically offered in South Hadley. Planning and production of this event will be facilitated by a contracted producer guided by a Steering Committee with representation from the business educational and cultural communities.
According to Wong, 70 to 80 percent of the budget for this project will go to pay artists for their work. A total budget of $150,000 is the goal made up of the requested ARPA funding, grants, fundraising, donations and possible ticket sales. The initial funding from the town will be $5,000 for planning, with $20,000 in the first year before declining to $15,000 and $10,000 in subsequent years as they become more sustainable through grants and fundraising.
All the requested non-capital projects were approved unanimously by the Selectboard.
In other news, the Selectboard also unanimously voted to approve the replacements for the recently vacant Board of Registrars appointed to them.
Tom Lake, Lucia Foley and Karl Grochowalski were the three appointees chosen to fill the vacant seats after the resignation of all three previous registrars. Wong said she was requested to bring appointees to the Selectboard from town Republican and Democrat Committees and received Lake, Foley and Grochowalski’s names.
Previous Board members Amy Foley, Niccole Casolari and Shelley Gingras submitted their letters of resignation effectively immediately to former Town Clerk Carlene Hamlin on April 20. Hamlin has officially retired as of May 14 and Wong had previously noted to Reminder Publishing that sometimes with the retirement at the town clerk position, change is common shortly after in other areas of a town’s government.