Upper Darby council to vote on $20M worth of American Rescue Plan allotments

Upper Darby Township Council will vote Feb. 2 on Mayor Barbarann Keffer’s proposal to allocate more than $20 million of American Rescue Plan money to a number of township projects including major sewer infrastructure improvements, grants to small businesses, employee bonuses, park open space and gun violence prevention.

Keffer called the plan a good mix of aboveground and belowground projects, which allows the township a historic opportunity to get ahead of some critical deferred maintenance projects as well as to rebuild current assets.

In 2021, the township received $20.5 million in the first round from the $350 billion Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds, which is part of the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan signed by President Biden in March 2021.  A second round of $20.5 million will again be allotted in 2023 with the requirement of mitigating the effects of the pandemic — both emergency health-related as well as economic impacts and all money must be allocated by the end of 2024.

Township officials say the goal of the plan is to align with the federal government’s mandate to create a strong, resilient and equitable recovery by making investments that will support the long-term growth and opportunities of Upper Darby Township.

Upper Darby is one of three Delaware County municipalities that received direct funds distributed by the federal treasury because the township already handles community block grant funding through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, or HUD. The Community Development Block Grant Program provides annual grants on a formula basis to states, cities and counties to address community development needs.

Other communities that don’t handle their own CDBG money should become eligible for funding through state and county distribution. The two other Delco communities to receive direct funding over the two years were Chester City with $30 million and Haverford Township with nearly $20 million.

Township Chief Administrative Officer Vincent Rongione noted that Upper Darby is limited by the federal government to decide eligible uses and programs. It may not be used for tax reductions and the grants and appropriations must not be year over year or on going items.

Included in Upper Darby’s plan is funding to support nonprofits dealing with the growing mental health and homelessness crisis, vaccine incentives for employees as well as a new COVID testing site. Also on tap is what the township calls massive repairs and upgrades to storm water and sewer infrastructure and millions of dollars to replace lost revenue as a result of the pandemic.

The draft proposal consists of $6 million towards flood mitigation and sewer upgrades, $6 million towards lost revenue, $3 million towards police, fire and EMS support, $2.5 million towards COVID relief and negative impacts, $3 million for parks and public spaces.

The flood and sewer mitigation upgrades include $2 million towards the Cobbs Creek sewer system interceptor, $2 million to the Fernwood sewer system interceptor and $1 million to the Naylors Run streambank stabilization as well as $1 million towards sewer relining.

In a virtual town hall meeting on the plan, Rongione said three sewer authorities run through Upper Darby that require large connector points. He said the Fernwood connection has been in disrepair and has been costing the township a lot of money. The Cobbs Creek interceptor takes flow from Milbourne Borough, Radnor and Haverford townships and then  flows into Philadelphia where it is treated.  He called it a very extensive piece of underground infrastructure which produces revenue, but also has deferred maintenance issues.

Officials said the funding will help to address a number of locations that have recently seen flooding including at Marshall and 69th streets  as well as Bonds Shopping Center.

The $2.5 million of COVID relief and negative impact relief, includes $1 million towards nonprofits for mental health and homeless mitigation, $750,000 grant towards small businesses and $750,000 towards essential workers which includes a financial vaccine incentive for township employees as well as a $1,000 bonus to all township workers.

“One of our top priorities for this funding is to acknowledge and thank our township employees,” Keffer said. “They have been working tirelessly to ensure everyone’s safety and kept things running smoothly for the last two years.”

The $3 million towards police, fire and EMS funding include $1 million toward new fire apparatus, $500,000 towards new police equipment as well as $500,000 to support vehicle purchases with Crozer Health which provides emergency medical services in the township. The final $1 million is devoted towards gun violence prevention initiatives.

Rongione said township officials have spoken with Police Superintendent Tim Bernhardt about  gun violence spending, some of the funding is fleshed out, and some is to be determined. Among those plans for fun violence prevention include increasing and improving mountain and canine police units and additional foot beat police presence in the township business areas as well as investing in community relations programs.

The $3 million for parks and public space consists of $1.5 million towards open space purchase and $1.5 million towards conversions to parks and playgrounds.

The plan is designed to comply with strict guidance from the Federal Department of the Treasury about what expenses are eligible under what it has called “The Final Rule.”

The plan has been discussed at three public meetings, including a recent virtual town hall meeting focused solely on the plan.

In Haverford Township, officials also allotted a large amount of its American Relief fund to infrastructure as well as to small business grants.

Haverford’s framework for their first $9.9 million called for $265,145 to go towards Public Health Emergency funding, $3.25 million for negative economic impacts, $600,000 for services to disproportionately impacted communities, $305,000 for essential workers,  $3.25 million for water, sewer and broadband infrastructure, $2 million for public sector revenue loss — a number determined by the Treasury Department — and $250,000 in administrative costs.

Township Manager Dave Burman said the Haverford awarded 45 grants in Phase 1 of the small business grants of $2,500 to businesses and nonprofits for a total of $112,500. So far in Phase 2, the Township has awarded 48 more grants. The total for both phases is $232,500.

In addition, Haverford Township officials have been working with the Haverford Partnership for Economic Development known as “Discover Haverford” to have a detailed façade improvement program.

The Haverford Township Façade Improvement Matching Grant Program – Phase 1 is expected to provide matching grants to businesses, nonprofits or commercial property owners for the purpose of promoting economic recovery and community revitalization through aesthetically improved business properties, visible from public streets. Through this program, the township plans to match an applicant’s investment in qualified improvements, dollar-for-dollar up to $10,000. Haverford hopes to roll this out in late February or early March.