Jackson County and local communities are eligible for more than $2.2 million to cover COVID-19-related expenses through the federal stimulus package.

Indiana allocated $300 million in federal funding from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economics Security Act (CARES) to counties and communities for reimbursement of expenditures related to the pandemic.

Jackson County is eligible for $1,431,127 in reimbursement funding. In addition, these local communities are eligible to receive the following amounts:

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Brownstown $94,281

Crothersville $50,547

Medora $22,191

Seymour $640,148

Seymour Mayor Matt Nicholson said the money will help, but he doesn’t believe the city will need it all.

“We are using the funds to cover anything that was required by COVID-19 — sanitizer, extra cleaning material and even a laptop for the ability to do digital meetings,” he said.

City Clerk-Treasurer Darrin Boas already has been filing claims and has been approved for a few.

“I have submitted two claims totaling $3,593,” he said. “This has been for masks, sanitizer, disinfectant, gloves, etc. I have received notification that the claims have been approved and will probably submit claims monthly through the end of the program.”

He agreed Seymour’s allocation should be sufficient to pay expenses the city has incurred already and may have in the future.

Crothersville Town Council President Danieta Foster said she received the application for reimbursement and will take time to look into applying.

“If we have expenses that will qualify, yes, we will,” she said of taking advantage of the funding available.

Foster sent the information to Trena Carter with Administrative Resources association and town attorney Jeff Lorenzo to review, too.

Brownstown Clerk-Treasurer David Willey also said he is aware of the reimbursement application and will review the town’s expenses to see which ones qualify.

Expenses could range from having to buy extra toilet paper to costs associated with working from home, Willey said.

“We still may come up with some different things since it’s not over with yet,” he said of the pandemic.

During a recent Brownstown Town Council meeting, President Gregg Goshorn gave a report on the relief funding the town could receive.

“I sent an email out to all the department heads asking them to go through anything they may need — face coverings, hand sanitizers, anything coronavirus related — for the rest of the year,” Goshorn said.

That will help if there is a second wave of the virus, he added.

Goshorn said the town should be able to recoup any expenses related to the pandemic. Future expenses will have to be paid upfront by the town.

“ … and then would be reimbursed,” he said.

The Indiana Finance Authority is in charge of implementing guidelines on how each county, city and town can use the funding as well as compiling reimbursement requests through accepted documentation, including invoices.

State Rep. Chris May, R-Bedford, said the funding, allocated based on population, cannot be used to replace lost tax revenue.

“Our communities have stepped up to the task of minimizing the spread of this virus and expanding safety precautions for all Hoosiers,” he said. “Responding to this crisis has resulted in unexpected costs for many, but this funding can help our local officials cover some of those expenses.”

State Rep. Steve Davisson, R-Salem, said local townships seeking reimbursement for eligible COVID-19 expenses should coordinate with their county government.

“So far, every community has been impacted differently by this disease,” he said. “While we don’t know how costly the outbreak will be from town to town until it is over, our local governments should consider these funds as a way to recoup expenses related to COVID-19.”

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Federal allocations available for reimbursement of expenditures related to the COVID-19 pandemic

Jackson County;$1,431,127

Seymour;$640,148

Brownstown;$94,281

Crothersville;$50,547

Medora;$22,191

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