Nassau County Secures GSG to Develop a Strategic Plan for CARES Act Funding

Nassau County, Florida, June 25, 2020 – On March 27, 2020, Congress approved the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act to provide assistance to American workers and families affected by COVID-19. The Act allowed for payments to eligible units of local government for expenses incurred due to the public health emergency. The Act also allowed for local governments to provide stimulus payments to individuals and small businesses affected by the pandemic.

CARES Act funding, passed by Congress, was made available to states, cities and counties with populations of 500,000 or more. The Board sent a letter to Governor Ron DeSantis on May 19, 2020, urging his office to disburse the remaining $1.275 billion in funding to counties that weren’t eligible for CARES Act funding initially due to the population restrictions.

Governor DeSantis recently announced that funding will now be released to the remaining counties, however only 25% will be provided up front. Current guidance from the State is that the other 75% will be provided to the counties on a reimbursement basis.

To obtain the funding, counties must first execute a CARES Act Funding Agreement with the Florida Department of Emergency Management (FDEM). Nassau County executed their agreement at the meeting held on June 17, 2020 and should be receiving the initial 25% disbursement totaling $3.8 million within the next few weeks.

Due to the complexity of the CARES Act Funding regulations and a desire to secure as much of the additional 75% as possible, the Board of County Commissioners voted yesterday to secure Government Services Group (GSG) to assist the County in development of a strategic plan to expend and leverage the CARES Act funding. Information related to the distribution/allocation of CARES Act funds will be included in the strategic plan being drafted by GSG.