Stimulus funding comes in handy

Stimulus funding is being used to widen part of Route 10 between Interstate 95 and Ware Bottom Spring Road. Page Dowdy/Chesterfield Observer With funds from President Barack Obama’s controversial stimulus package about to run out in the county, what has Chesterfield done with its $57 million in funds – and how will it cope without it?

In fiscal years 2009-11, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 allocated $16.8 million to the county government. (The school system received the remaining $40.3 million.)

The county government recognized the stimulus funding was one-time money and used the bulk of its funds for projects like roads and equipment.

“By 2013 these dollars will be nonexistent,” said Allan M. Carmody, director of the Chesterfield Department of Budget and Management. “The stimulus dollars helped us though a very difficult time in the county, and we’ve found our way off them.”

“We’ve been stepping off of the stimulus money,” said Matt Harris, senior analyst for the budget and management department. “We’ve planned for it in a way that we’re not vulnerable to its expiration.”

The largest share of the county’s stimulus money is being used to widen Route 10. Construction is ongoing.

“It’s going to improve the capacity of the road and reduce congestion at Old Stage Road,” said Stan Newcomb, engineering supervisor for the Chesterfield Transportation Department. The improvement had originally been planned in the late 1990s, but there was no funding to follow through.

“The plans just went on the shelf,” Newcomb said. The renovation will widen Route 10 between Interstate 95 and Ware Bottom Spring Road. The project should be completed next summer.

“It’s a vital corridor,” Harris said. Once completed, the road should have fewer backups and be able to handle traffic better. The renovation will be paid for by roughly $10 million in stimulus funds, $5 million in other federal funds and $11 million in local funds. Without the stimulus funds, the project would have been further delayed.

“When we get it done, it will be a big improvement,” Newcomb said.

About $5.1 million in stimulus funds haven’t been spent yet.

“Most of these dollars will be drawn down when these projects are completed,” Harris said. The budget department says all unspent money has been assigned.

“There’s no money floating in limbo,” Carmody said.

Other projects the stimulus money aided included drainage improvements, making facilities more energy efficient and supporting programs for stalking victims and disabled infants (see box above for a complete listing).

How the county government spent its stimulus money

	Description	Department					Award	Received	Status
Drainage	improvements: Providence Forest	Community	Development		Block	Grant	$336,859	$283,102	Providence and Laurel complete;
Court/	Laurel Road/Chesterwood Drive								Chesterwood complete by end of year
Housing	support for low income families	Community	Development		Block	Grant	$515,089	$493,666	Remaining funds projected to be
spent									by end of year
Additional	support for disabled infants and	Mental Health					$479,109	$452,088	Remaining funds projected to be
toddlers	(speech/physical therapy)								spent by end of year
Domestic	violence grant to support	Police					$33,587	$19,901	Funding will be fully expended by end
coordinator	position								of the year
Energy	efficient windows/wall panels	Police					$1,000,000	$266,116	Construction under way
Energy	efficient lighting	School					$1,600,000	$848,273	Construction under way
Officer	equipment/IT upgrades (lightbars,	Police					$505,822	$250,122	Staff expects remaining funds to
radios,	mobile computers)								be spent by end of FY13
Support	for general school division	Schools					$38,709,070	$38,709,070	Funds fully expended
operations
Support	for sheriff department operations	Sheriff					$1,847,245	$1,847,245	Funds fully expended
Additional	Supplemental Nutrition	Social Services					$ 250,586	$250,586	Funds fully expended
Assistance	Program support
Childcare	assistance for low-income	Social Services					$ 725,735	$725,735	Funds fully expended
families
Foster	care and adoption assistance	Social Services					Reimbursement	basis $232,767	Funds fully expended
Route	10 widening	Transportation					$10,370,000	$6,160,000	Work expected to be completed by fall 2012
Road	resurfacing: Walthall interchange/	Transportation					$669,506	$669,506	Project complete; work managed by
Virginia	State University								Metropolitan Planning Organization
Staffing	to serve assault/stalking victims	Victim Witness					$95,756	$95,756	Funds fully expended
Total							Award	Total Received
$							57,138,364	$ 51,303,933
These	amounts are accurate as of June 30,	2011. Information compiled	by	the		Chesterfield County		Department of Budget and	Management.