Crockett council reviews ARPA spending priorities and tables a prioritized list to next meeting

City staff presented a list of candidate uses for remaining ARPA funds and asked council to identify priorities. Staff reported total ARPA funding (stated in the transcript as '1.585240') and said committed expenditures left roughly $900,000 available for new projects. Candidate uses discussed included dredging and digester repairs at the wastewater plants to address grit and capacity loss, city hall roof and gutter replacement, refurbishing two downtown parking lots, Main Street program planning (estimated at $25,000 for planning), a farmers market pavilion, a Davy Crockett Park bathroom and pavilion, and equipment such as a drum roller and public-safety vehicle replacements.

Staff flagged the wastewater plant work as mandatory to address TCEQ compliance risks and noted the North plant cannot be taken offline for cleaning; estimated dredging quotes ranged widely and staff said they expect something in the $100,000–$200,000 range depending on method. Staff emphasized some items may qualify for other grants but that ARPA funds must be obligated by 2025.

Council discussed how to prioritize the candidate list, requested staff collect each councilor’s top priorities, and moved to table the item so staff could return with a prioritized list at the next meeting. One council member said the North wastewater plant should be the top priority. The motion to table passed.