NCLM Southern City Volume 71, Issue 3, 2021

30 governments: Responding to the public health emergency or its negative eco- nomic impacts; premium pay to eligible essential workers; replacement of lost revenue due to COVID-19 emergency; and water, sewer, or broadband infrastructure. Second, it is notable that the funds to local governments nationwide make up only a small portion of the overall act—$360 billion of the overall $1.9 trillion law. The American Rescue Plan additionally includes relief funding to restaurants, small businesses, entertainment venues, schools and child care providers, and supports rental assistance and expanded unemploy- ment, as well as support for certain types of employees (including transportation workers and health care workers). “As we think about being deliberate, planning these funds and thinking about the ways they could be most effectively deployed, it’s important to be aware of what other funding and assistance is out there and that sectors of your community can tap into before you spend your fiscal recovery funds in those areas,” said NCLM Director of Research and Strategy Chris Nida. “It will allow you to think more stra- tegically and more transformationally.” With those boundaries and other sources of support in mind, discussions of ARP possibilities usually spur the same few questions: What is the most important thing I can address, what is a one-time expense, and what is the investment that will yield the greatest long-term impact? The municipal leaders of Wayne County contended with the same questions. And in near-unanimous agreement, they turned towards infrastructure. Where should the money be spent? Local leaders know their communities best. There is no one answer to the question of how best to utilize ARP sup- port. However, when looking at the small sample size of a single county—Wayne County—the takeaway is that the needs of the state match the needs of the towns: water infrastructure. In 2017, the State Water Infrastructure Authority published “North Carolina’s Statewide Water and Wastewater Infra- structure Master Plan: The Road to Viabil- ity,” and estimated the required investment across the state to be in the tens of billions. “Over the next 20 years, capital cost esti- mates for water and wastewater system needs in North Carolina range from $17 to $26 billion—most likely at the higher end of the range,” wrote Francine Durso and Kim Colson, respectively the then-senior project manager and then-director of the American Rescue Plan continued from page 29 N.C. Division of Water Infrastructure, in a guest article in a 2019 issue of Southern City . “While subsidized loans are the pri- mary vehicle to help make infrastructure more affordable, (we) recognize that only a fraction of today’s infrastructure capital needs can be met with currently available state or federal subsidized funding levels.” The ARP, however, changes that calculus. With representatives from all of the area’s local governments—from Goldsboro to Eureka—more than 95% of attendees reported beforehand that water and waste- water infrastructure was the top need. At the workshop itself, leaders both elected and appointed echoed those sentiments throughout. Infrastructure was deteriorat- ing and capacity needed expanding—and investment and partnership opportunities were now very possible due to ARP fund- ing. The top priority was clear. Another reason for the attraction to infrastructure is the potential for matching state funds. This policy was included in Governor Roy Cooper’s proposed state budget, and was reiterated by the Gover- nor when he spoke to League member- ship during a July webinar. “These capital, one-time infrastructure investments are so important,” Governor Cooper said. “We want you to be able to leverage those resources to get the most that you can for your people.” SOUTHERN CITY QUARTER 3 2021 continues on page 32