Ross County’s Union Township Shares COVID Funds With Area Schools

Presented By Rathkamp Financial

Union Township in Ross County has shared a large portion of their first round of COVID-19 money with local schools and other community entities. The American Recovery Act Funds came from the federal government, as approved by congress.

The $500,000 the township received, like comparable funds received by other local government entities, had to be used for items related to assisting in those government entities handling of the COVID-19 crisis.

Union Township Trustee Jeff Henness said- “Along with trustees Dave Bethel and Harold Bennett, we thought the best way we could help the community was through the school districts that our township serves.”

As a result, Union Township Trustees decided to give $120,000 each to Union Scioto Schools and Adena Local Schools for the purchase of new student Chrome Books and other computers. Ross County Christian Academy was given $70,000 and the Ross County Fairboard was given approximately $40,000. Ross Christian Academy’s money helped install touch-less lighting, which was also the case for monies given to the Ross County Fairgrounds. The remaining $150,000 was used by Union Township for EMS and Firehouse equipment purchases.

Union Township is anticipating another $1.2 million in funds coming their way in a second round of federal funding, which Henness says the rules for using those dollars is still being worked out at the federal level. Local governments will have until the year 2026 to use the money. Half of those funds will be received in 2021 and the other half in 2022.

In the case of townships, funds received are based on the size of the townships.