Montco Launches COVID Economic Recovery Office

NORRISTOWN, PA — The pandemic may be all but over, but its impacts are continuing across industries in Montgomery County and around the country.

To help revitalize the local economy and get things back to where they were, the county has launched a new specialized Recovery Office. The role of the new office is to administer the $161 million in funding which the county has received from the American Rescue Plan Act.

"By listening to our residents, community partners, researching best practices and leveraging other resources, we will create impactful initiatives, investments and infrastructure improvements that will have long-term, measurable and sustainable impact," Montgomery County Commissioner Val Arkoosh said in a statement.

The public will able to follow exactly how the county uses federal funds through the OpenGov platform, officials said.

Specifically, this new office will collate input from a wide variety of groups, including members of the public, on how best to spend the funds.

According to the federal government, American Rescue Plan Act funds may be used to respond to the COVID-19 public health emergency or its economic impacts, to provide government services to the extent of reduced revenue due to COVID-19, or to make necessary investments in water, sewer, or broadband infrastructure. Funds must be used by December 31, 2024.

The Act included a total of $120 billion for county and municipal governments. The full text of the legislation can be viewed here.