Millions in relief monies flowing here

Some of Philadelphia’s $1.6 million in federal COVID relief monies the city has already received could go toward sewer improvements and broadband internet, the mayor said.

Philadelphia, Neshoba County and the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians all have received initial COVID-19 monies under the federal rescue plan approved earlier this year, but spending plans have not been finalized.

Neshoba County is receiving a total of $5.6 million and Philadelphia $1.6 million both in two payments. 

The Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians received $53,051,330 in June, Tribal Chief Cyrus Ben said in a video at the time detailing how the monies would be allocated. (See story page 3A.)

So far, Neshoba County has received $2,827,915 and Philadelphia has received $870,046. Both will receive the remaining monies next year.

Neshoba County Administrator Jeff Mayo said officials are still determining how to spend the monies.

“The board is working on some projects,” Mayo said. “We are looking at improving some of the HVAC equipment. Looking at touchless fixtures. Things of that nature.”

That is just a starting point, however. Mayo said the Board of Supervisors has not yet put anything in stone.

“There have been requests, but you still have the issue of compliance with the federal law that has to be looked at also in the context of all of these,” Mayo said. 

“All of that guidance is done by the Department of Treasury. We just want to tread carefully.”

Philadelphia Mayor James A. Young said the city has received its first payment but has not yet put any plan in action for spending.

“We are working on a plan to enhance sewer and waster water and some other sewer projects,” Young said. “That is going to help us in the future.”

Young said other projects under consideration include broadband internet.

“They have a part in there about broadband, and we are trying to figure out how we can tap some of those funds to enhance what we need in the city,” Young said of the federal guidelines.

“Right now, we are just in the planning stages. The key to it is these are some improvements that we don’t have to burden the local taxpayers with. Otherwise, we couldn’t do it at this point. That’s the way I look at it.”

The state of Mississippi will receive approximately $6 billion in total, which is equal to the state budget.

The funding will be distributed as follows, according to Mississippi Today:

• $429 million for higher education; 

• $166 million for capital projects for rural broadband access project; 

• $577 million for counties; 

• $258 million for smaller cities; 

• $97 million for metro cities; 

• $1.8 billion to be appropriated by the Mississippi Legislature over the next three years primarily to replace revenue lost because of the pandemic for COVID-19-related costs; and 

• $1.6 billion for K-12 education, primarily to be disbursed to local school districts.

The monies are part of the federal government’s $1.9 trillion American Rescue Act passed by Congress in March to help local governments recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.