COVID-19 Relief Funds For Morris Township, Plains Governments

NEW JERSEY - Approximately $60 million from the Coronavirus Relief Fund (CRF) is on its way to the Local Government Emergency Fund to aid counties and municipalities that were excluded from the federal government’s direct CRF allocation plan, according to officials.

“Local governments have stepped up to meet the needs of their communities throughout this pandemic, and we are strengthening their efforts today with $60 million dollars in direct relief,” said Governor Phil Murphy. “We know these funds will be a welcome lifeline of support for essential government services and New Jersey’s taxpayers.”

The COVID-19 crisis has severely impacted county and local governments in New Jersey, and they are facing increased costs in health benefits, health and human services, public safety, overtime, equipment, and supply expenditures. These relief funds will help to address necessary and unexpected expenditures necessitated by the pandemic.

The New Jersey Department of Human Services (DHS) is also providing up to $10 million from the Coronavirus Relief Fund to support the state’s County Boards of Social Services with COVID-related expenses such as technology to adapt to remote work, expanding to meet growing demand, and supplies and materials to meet COVID-19 health and safety standards.

In Morris County, there is $8,415,816 on the way with $2,297,873 coming to the county. Morris Township will receive $251,522 while Morris Plains Borough will get $71,609.

Qualifying expenditures for the Local Government Emergency Fund include public safety and health-related expenses, COVID-19-related overtime, increased residential and health-related garbage collection and services, remote working technology, signage and information technology related to the COVID-19 response and recovery, and public health-related retrofit expenses for reopening.

The Local Government Emergency Fund allocation formula uses a variety of relevant metrics, including the municipal COVID-19 infection rate, fiscal stress, the Municipal Revitalization Index (MRI), population, and public safety and health and human services expenditures share of the budget to determine the amount of funds counties and municipalities receive.

Funds awarded may not be used for government revenue replacement, including the provision of assistance to meet tax obligations. Eligible expenditures must be incurred during the covered period between March 1, 2020 and Dec. 30, 2020.

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