ARPA Story Site Explores Town, NCLM Efforts

Among local government officials, it is no secret that cities and towns across the state have been using American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) dollars to make investments that are having positive effects on the lives of residents.

The backstory of those investments and their effects may not be so well known by those residents themselves. A new content hub, called Investing in Our Future, on the WRAL news website is helping to bring some public attention to these investments and their effects, as well as the League of Municipalities’ efforts to assist municipalities to helping make these projects happen and to aid towns with their financial operations. This interactive hub can be found here.

The site is more interactive than previous efforts in promoting these stories, making for a more engaging experience for readers. And in addition to the site itself, our agreement with WRAL will lead to each article being promoted through online and social media advertising, assisting in more people learning about the value of these investments and their real-world effects.

The site currently has stories exploring ARPA-related projects in Newton Grove, Wilkesboro, Brevard, Apex, Wilson, Waynesville, Sylva, Spruce Pine, and Havelock.

We encourage you to look at the site here and promote it on your own social media channels. Demonstrating that cities and towns are good stewards of these dollars ensures that we will maintain that kind of infrastructure and other support at the state and federal levels well into the future.

HERE ARE A COUPLE OF EXCERPTS FROM THE WRAL HUB: 

• “For a small municipality, investing $2.5 million into infrastructure is a very big deal,” said (Brevard) Mayor Maureen Copelof. “These investments will last for decades … for example, one area receiving stormwater improvement will be Times Arcade Alley, a street that hosts restaurants, shops and various businesses. The popular destination is regularly stricken with stormwater problems. It is also an area that city officials agree needs some aesthetic improvements. Brevard’s plan is to use ARP funds to fix the stormwater and, once the area is dug into, then use general funds to improve paving, add green space and bury utility lines.”
• Newton Grove officials recognize that upgrading water systems is not the flashiest project, but it is one that is vitally important to residents’ daily lives and one that requires an enormous amount of time and money. “A lot of people do not understand what it takes to run a waste treatment plant or to run a clean, clear drinking water system. I hope our municipality and other communities understand that it takes so much,” Newton Grove Town Clerk and Zoning & Planning Administrator Amanda Bradshaw said. Besides those looks at the continuing investments that cities and towns are making with ARPA funds, the new site also provides testimonials from town officials regarding NCLM’s commitment and effort to ensuring compliance with federal accounting and audit rules, as well as the League’s broader work to strengthening municipal financial operations through its Municipal Accounting Software program.