ARPA Program Manager, Samantha Gange, says the recommendations from her and City Manager Todd Thompson are based on surveys of aldermen, city staff, and city residents. And the top priority is infrastructure, including replacing old water and sewer lines.
"For example, one of the projects is generators for our water treatment plant. We currently don't have generators for our water plant. So that is recommended and will be very well received among the public as well as the city council members."
Next in line after infrastructure are help for small businesses, green space and recreation, public safety, and mental health resources and services.
"ARPA is very important to the city of Rock Island. We got the allocation of 26 and 1/2 million dollars and so we need to be very thoughtful and mindful of how we're going to allocate this money."
Gange says several projects using ARPA money were approved already, including the public survey, and some projects downtown such as replacing the city parking garage.
Future projects could include making broadband service more available, replacing squad cars and fire trucks, and housing rehabilitation.
