Montgomery City Council approves use for COVID-relief funds

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WSFA) - The Montgomery City Council has decided how to spend millions of dollars from the federal government through the American Rescue Plan Act.

Tuesday, the council unanimously passed the plans, including six action items suggested by the public. Those action items include a mental health crisis center with capital improvements, hospital/community-based violence intervention, small business grants, blighted property buybacks, and sewer upgrades.

“We have capital improvements for crisis division centers, what we already deal with, which is our mental health, hospital-based violence prevention programs, body cameras, a community restoration program that we’re going to be doing, waste disposal for our people within the city of Montgomery that don’t have sewer services, so, we’re doing things maybe on a septic tank side of the house,” Councilman CC. Calhoun explained. “We’re trying to, you know, provide services for these people.”

According to council members, the city and county combined their funds which amounts to about $87 million. Officials hope that by combining the funds, they can help more people.

Since November, the city and county have been working to identify projects that will benefit residents. They collected input from citizens as part of the partnership.

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