This is a printer-friendly version of an article from Zip06.com.

Clinton Voters Approve Second Batch of ARPA Projects

At a town meeting on Aug. 3, residents unanimously approved the next round of projects using money from the American Recovery Plan Act (ARPA).

Last year, it was announced that Clinton would receive $3.8 million of federal money from ARPA. In early 2022, residents approved using about $2 million of the ARPA money to help with various projects to combat the pandemic’s negative effects.

On July 6, the Town Council held a workshop to find a consensus among council members on which projects the remaining $1.81 million in ARPA funding should be spent.

On Aug. 3, about a dozen people turned out to formally approve the funding at what one audience member joked was “one of the quickest meetings ever.” The vote was done via a show of hands, with everyone in the room voting to approve the funding.

The Projects

The next round of ARPA projects includes:

$300,000 for artificial turf replacement at the Indian River Recreation Complex (IRRC).

$300,000 for work on the Town Beach bathhouse.

$262,000 in American Recovery to replace bleachers at the Peters Recreation Complex.

$21,500 to replace the gazebo roof at McCusker Landing and replace the Town Hall EV charging station.

$300,000 funds for road repair, maintenance, and paving.

$300,000 for a Public Safety Radio project to build out the radio system, including antennas, repeaters, and subscriber units.

$3,100 to support the tourism industry with historic district signage.

$5,000 to support summer free lunch program for Clinton students.

$117,900 to various nonprofit entities, including Families Helping Families, the Diaper Bank, the First Church, the Gilead Community Rent program, the Morgan School Booster Club, and the Clinton Art Gallery.

$209,122 in grant funds to construct pickleball courts at IRRC.

Originally, the town had been set to approve the funding needed for the ARPA projects on July 5. However, the council canceled the town meeting scheduled for that day after a heavily attended public hearing on June 21, where residents opposed a plan to turn a basketball court at IRRC into a pickleball court. The council opted to instead tweak the ARPA proposal and reschedule the town meeting. Though the public hearing was heavily attended, no members of the public commented on any proposed project besides pickleball.