County Commissioners cap off ARPA funding package

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The Dukes County Commission's administrative building. — MV Times

The Dukes County Commission has officially committed the last of its nearly $3.4 million in funding awarded through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), just in time to meet the end-of-the-year deadline. 

The commission, since the funding arrived more than three years ago, used the majority of funding to help municipalities pay for projects to reduce nitrogen getting into local watersheds.

In December, the Dukes County Commission unanimously approved allocating the final $70,000 to West Tisbury to upgrade the septic system at the town’s public safety building. 

In October 2021, a steering committee composed of county commissioners and select board members was established to plan the best use of the federal COVID-19 relief funding. The six-member committee recommended focusing on nitrogen-mitigration wastewater projects, reducing nitrogen levels inside ponds, enhancing capacity for multiunit dwellings, and positioning the Island for future state and federal grants for coastal communities. 

A big chunk of the overall funding — $1.6 million — went to the Martha’s Vineyard Airport, and nearly $700,000 went to income-qualified homeowners for septic upgrades; 10 percent was committed to cover Dukes County administrative and legal costs associated with managing funds. 

In the spring of 2024, the county committed an additional $100,000 to the airport, and invited all towns to propose “shovel-ready” projects that aligned with one of the four initial focus areas of the steering committee. 

 

Final allocation breakdown

  • Airport: $1,600,000
  • Residential upgrades for income-qualified homeowners: $669,032
  • Edgartown: $163,065
  • Oak Bluffs: $132,122
  • Tisbury: $313,845
  • Chilmark: $60,000
  • Direct funding for town projects: $790,000
  • Edgartown: $240,000
  • Oak Bluffs: $240,000
  • Tisbury: $240,000
  • West Tisbury: $70,000
  • Total for wastewater projects: $3,059,032
  • Island-wide emergency response planning: $100,000
  • Administrative costs (federal compliance): $207,506