The City of Champaign invites all its residents to provide ideas and suggestions on the most impactful way to spend approximately $25.2 million in Local Fiscal Recovery Funds the City expects to receive through the American Rescue Plan. The City has developed a webpage with information about the Recovery Funds and is announcing the launch of a community survey to begin gathering input from the public. Additional public input opportunities, including in-person and virtual meetings, will be included on the website. The website and online survey can be reviewed at champaignil.gov/ARP. Paper copies of the survey are also available to pick up at the Champaign City Building (102 N. Neil St.)
“The City Council asked staff to gather input from Champaign’s residents about how the Recovery Funds can be utilized to have best impact on our community,” said Finance Director Kay Nees. “City staff are developing a number of different ways to seek public input, both in person and virtually. We’re excited to announce the launch of our new webpage with information about ways in which the Recovery Funds can be used, as well as sharing information about the various methods available to residents to provide their ideas and suggestions on how to spend the funding in a way that will best help the Champaign community.”
The City will gather all the comments and feedback gathered from the public and share it with the City Council for their review and consideration later this year when they meet to make decisions about spending the Recovery Funds. The information gathered through this comprehensive public input process will also be shared directly with the public at that time.
Signed into law on March 11, 2021, the American Rescue Plan Act includes funding for state and local governments through Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds. According to U.S. Treasury Department guidelines, these funds are to be used to support efforts to end the COVID-19 pandemic, strengthen support for vital public services and job retention, to provide economic stabilization to households and businesses, and to address public health and economic challenges that have inequitably impacted underserved populations. For more information about the American Rescue Plan, please visit treasury.gov.