8/23/2021 Unanticipated Funds

TOWN OF BETHLEHEM

PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE

2155 Main Street

Bethlehem, NH 03574

The Board of Selectmen will hold a public hearing on Monday August 23, 2021, at their regularly scheduled meeting beginning at 6:00 pm in the Town Building Meeting Room, 2155 Main St., Bethlehem, NH for the following:

To discuss accepting unanticipated funds in the amount of $134,735.57, from the Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (LFRF) from the State under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARP).

According to the U.S. Treasury, the LFRF provides eligible local governments with a substantial infusion of resources to meet pandemic response needs and rebuild a stronger, and more equitable economy as the country recovers. Recipients may use these funds to:

• Support public health expenditures: For example, funding COVID-19 mitigation efforts, medical expenses, behavioral healthcare, and certain public health and safety staff
• Address negative economic impacts caused by the public health emergency, including economic harms to workers, households, small businesses, impacted industries, and the public sector
• Replace lost public sector revenue, using this funding to provide government services to the extent of the reduction in revenue experienced due to the pandemic
• Provide premium pay for essential workers, offering additional support to those who have and will bear the greatest health risks because of their service in critical infrastructure sectors
• Invest in water, sewer, and broadband infrastructure, making necessary investments to improve access to clean drinking water, support vital wastewater and stormwater infrastructure, and to expand access to broadband internet

Within these overall categories, recipients have broad flexibility to decide how best to use this funding to meet the needs of their communities.