Geary County is due to receive approximately $6.3 million dollars in COVID-19 relief funding from the state. Commissioners learned Monday that the deadline to spend the money has been extended from Oct. 31 to Dec. 30.
Keith Ascher, County Commission Chair, said the governing body met with representatives of the consulting firm, Witt O'Brien's to begin the process of begin the review of how to utilize the funds. "We discussed a lot of things. We talked about buildings, and plexiglass and PPE's, the health department, the hospital, the school district, all the municipalities.
Ascher noted that the company wants the county to have a spending plan that covers all costs incurred up to July 1 and future costs. "They will send us a template that we can use for Zoom meetings with other municipalities."Ascher noted that Commissioner Brad Scholz will spearhead the steering committee working on the project.
Ascher said the company thought it was good that the county had saved all their receipts on COVID-19 related expenses. There are plans for weekly meetings on this effort.