LYNN — The grants manager for the city’s American Rescue Plan Act funding presented an update on expenditures and federal compliance during a City Council meeting and announced a capital project that will direct $200,000 toward summer jobs for the city’s youth.
The city was first allocated $75 million through ARPA in 2021 to help with recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. There have since been 105 ARPA projects, 55 city projects, and 50 nonprofit projects in the city funded at least partially through ARPA. Currently, $75.13 million has been allocated.
There are also two upcoming obligation deadlines in December 2024 and December 2026.
“I’m confident the city is on track to comply with both of those deadlines,” Joey Hustins, the grants manager, said. ”My top priority continues to be working with city personnel and nonprofit subrecipients to successfully fulfill all the projects that the city has submitted for us.”
Around $4.73 million is now left of the allocation. Most of the remaining projects deal with large portions of funding for street and sidewalk projects and additional overruns. It was also noted toward the end of the meeting that the $4.73 million might expand.
It was clarified that the $200,000 for summer jobs would not only come from ARPA funding.
Last year, of 259 youth applicants for summer jobs, only 159 were hired. The council aims to expand this number and make an effort for continuous growth for years to come.
The council and Hustins discussed summer camps and how they are supposed to open up more jobs for young people. Councilors also noted that recent research indicates that there will be an increase in job opportunities from the ARPA funding.
It was estimated that minimum-wage, 40-hour jobs would enable the employment of around 55 more young people for $198,000 this year with the funding.
“I just wanted to make it clear that our contention this summer is to provide every youth who is eligible for employment a job,” Mayor Jared Nicholson said, receiving loud applause from the room.
Responding to a question about whether the allocations from the city will remain once the ARPA money runs out, Nicholson responded by saying that ARPA funding is for one-time expenditures.
“We felt like this is something we’ve never done in the city before,” Nicholson said. “And we felt like it was really worth a shot.”
