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Monroe County Legislature Vice-President Mercedes Vazquez-Simmons, Legislator of the 22nd District and Legislator Rachel Barnhart, of the 17th District, call on Monroe County to use remaining American Rescue Plan Act funds to assist agencies impacted by United Way funding cuts. Agencies sent a press release today identifying $5 million in collective United Way funding cuts,… Continue Reading Legislators Call for ARPA Funding to be Used to Help Agencies Impacted by United Way Cuts

A backroom deal on how to spend $25.4 million in American Rescue Plan Act dollars includes $6 million that will be disbursed among Monroe County’s suburbs for senior and youth programming. The money will be divided based on each town’s population. The city is excluded. Towns can apply for reimbursements for expenditures.  “Monroe County claims… Continue Reading Monroe County Youth and Senior Programming Fund Favors Wealthy Suburbs Over Less-Affluent Towns & City

County Executive Adam Bello excluded Legislators Mercedes Vazquez-Simmons and Rachel Barnhart from a briefing this morning about a $25.4 million American Rescue Plan Act funding package.  Portions of the spending package, negotiated in a back room, have very little detail. Legislators have only a few days to review the plan before committee votes next week. … Continue Reading Legislators Demanding Accountability Again Excluded from ARPA Briefing

Check out Legislator Rachel Barnhart’s op-ed in the Rochester Beacon, I’m a county legislator. I can’t find out what’s going on with ARPA funds.

The President of the Legislature has rejected Vice-President Mercedes Vazquez-Simmons and Legislator Rachel Barnhart’s legislation to require County Executive Bello to submit regular reports to the legislature regarding American Rescue Plan Act funding. The legislation would have required regular reports on award balances, compliance reports, audits and more.  In response, Legislator Barnhart created this ARPA… Continue Reading Legislator Barnhart Creates ARPA Tracker After Transparency Bill Blocked

Legislation submitted today by Vice-President Mercedes Vazquez-Simmons and Legislator Rachel Barnhart would require County Executive Adam Bello to provide regular reports to the Legislature about American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding. In addition, the reports would have to be posted on the County website. The County received $144.1 million in ARPA funding, all of which… Continue Reading Legislation would require regular updates on ARPA