How Northport Will Spend Its $4.8M From American Rescue Plan

NORTHPORT, AL ? The Northport City Council this week unanimously approved a highly-anticipated list of large-scale projects that will be funded by the city's $4.84 million allocation under the American Rescue Plan.

City Administrator Glenda Webb explained ahead of the vote that all of the projects are eligible for reimbursement, saying Monday's vote was a "formalization of the specific projects that we intend to pursue with these funds."

Under the $1.9 trillion federal aid package, Tuscaloosa County also received $40.6 million, while the City of Tuscaloosa was awarded $20.52 million. Additionally, the Tuscaloosa County School System was given $30.78 million, along with $27.14 million for Tuscaloosa City Schools.

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Here's a quick rundown of the approved projects for Northport ...

• Improvements to the Northport Water Treatment Plant on Lary Lake Road.
• Improvements to the Northport Wastewater Treatment Plant on 3rd Street.
• The purchase of a new rescue truck for Northport Fire Rescue.
• The purchase of Lucas devices. As Patch previously reported, the devices "deliver high-performance, continuous chest compressions with less strain, micromanagement, and risk for the caregiver," with the operator not having to physically perform chest compressions that can be tiring, time-consuming and ultimately cause additionally physical injuries to the victim. According to numerous purchase listings, one Lucas 3 system can cost in the ballpark of $15,000 or higher.
• Covering qualifying medical expenses of insureds employed by the city.
• Section 602(c) employee payments. This will be covered by the Coronavirus State Fiscal Recovery Fund, which was signed into law in March and provides resources for states to respond to the coronavirus public health emergency and its economic impacts. This can range from providing financial assistance for qualifying families to investing in infrastructure improvements.
• City Hall capital investments made to meet pandemic operational needs.
• Miscellaneous water and sewer infrastructure improvements, which comes after the devastating June 19 flooding event that prompted concerns for infrastructure around the city.

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