First Round of CARES Act Presented to Marion

            Representatives from Plymouth County met with Marion officials on September 25 to present the first federal CARES Act reimbursement check in the amount of $71,153.57. The check represents the first of four rounds of Marion’s $655,000 allowance in COVID-related, non-budgeted, non-anticipated reimbursement requests as administered by Plymouth County.

            The first reimbursement covered the expenses of the reopening of town facilities and the Taber Library, where the two delegations gathered to make the presentation. Marion’s next round will address expenses associated with the reopening of school buildings and will reach nearly $200,000.

            “Because we have an educated workforce, we felt that we could deliver the goods a little bit better (than the state could),” said Plymouth County Commissioner Greg Hanley. “Quite frankly, we didn’t want to compete with the interest of the commonwealth, but, you know, the governor’s done a very good job handling this pandemic. However, every time he makes a promise to take on more, he taxes his own staff. So we knew we had the ability to do this so we just wanted to play our part and take that off (his plate) so that our member communities could get their money quickly and in a meaningful way.”

            Plymouth County Treasurer Thomas O’Brien explained that Bristol and Norfolk counties and the City of Boston were also eligible to take charge of processing and distribution of CARES Act funds, but Plymouth was the only county to join Boston in administration.

            O’Brien said Plymouth County received $90,000,000 for its 27 communities (of which Brockton is by far the most populated). The county was eligible for $212,000,000, but the state already took 55 percent of the money. “That’s why we knew we wanted to go directly into these communities,” said O’Brien. “The commissioners asked the important question: If we don’t apply for this money and receive this money, can you guarantee it will be spent in these 27 communities? And the answer we received at the federal level and state level was ‘No.’”

            “That made it very easy for us (to take control),” said Hanley.

            O’Brien also noted that Marion will now be spared participation in next year’s federal audit of the distributions. Citing the work of Finance Director Judy Mooney and Town Administrator Jay McGrail, O’Brien told Board of Selectman Chairperson Randy Parker that the county knows what a great team Marion has.

            “Judy and I have the pleasure of working a lot together. She’s well respected in the treasurer community, she’s also very thorough and efficient at what she does. I would say she’s been one of the more-diligent ones at calling me and making sure your applications are good, that they’re in and submitted so that we can turn it around quickly and bring this money to you,” said O’Brien. “We know that this pandemic is not over. We have to be careful that we don’t get complacent. We are still dealing with this, and we know and the county commissioners remind me … that we need to continue to be a resource to the Town of Marion.”

            McGrail said Mooney took on the work on the town’s end without so much as a conversation, and he joined Marion’s delegation in expressing appreciation to the county, noting that that one response from the county to a question was sent at 2:00 am. “That’s pretty impressive,” he said.

            Referencing recent changes made by the federal government to reporting guidelines in which layers of detail were added from six original categories of non-budgeted, COVID-related expenditures to 17 subset categories, O’Brien explained that Plymouth County is doing that leg work for its member towns. “Because we have the program set up, we could categorize that very quickly,” he said. “Other communities that aren’t part of our program in other counties and other states are having to deal with that right now. And the administrative cost of that? You can’t imagine.”

            Mooney said while corresponding with towns not in Plymouth County, “those other towns are really struggling (with the process).” She told O’Brien, “You were right on it, that spreadsheet works so well. I use it now just to use with my department heads … it’s been wonderful.”

            The commissioners also brought a large, framed poster of Marion as a gift from the county.

By Mick Colageo

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