The Kenton County Fiscal Court was awarded $32,437,404 in Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). These funds were a one-time injection of capital designed to help in the economic recovery from the coronavirus pandemic.
The federal government established guidelines designating how the funding could be used. After discussing their goals and objectives, the Kenton County Fiscal Court decided to use its funds to address five areas:
- Broadband
- Job training
- Infrastructure (sewer/water)
- Human services
- Revenue replacement/employee retention
“From day one, we knew we wanted to treat these funds like a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to support projects that would be transformative for Kenton County residents and might not have gotten done as quickly as they will now,” Judge/Executive Kris Knochelmann said in a statement. "We believe the slate of projects we've supported accomplish that objective."
The table below provides a list of the committed investments from the Kenton County Fiscal Court across its five chosen categories:
Broadband
| Altafiber | $10,800,000 | Deliver high-speed fiber optic Internet to 100% of Kenton County. | https://www.kentoncounty.org/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Item/1862?fileID=3191 |
Infrastructure
| Northern Kentucky Water District | $1,400,000 | Support the development, planning and construction of water main extensions to unserved customers within Kenton County | https://www.kentoncounty.org/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Item/3902?fileID=6015 |
| Nixutil Sanitation Association | $160,000 | Address deficiencies to existing sewer treatment plant in unincorporated Kenton County and transition properties from the Nixutil Sanitation Association to the Sanitation District One (SD1) system. | https://www.kentoncounty.org/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Item/3188?fileID=4379 |
| Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, Dept. of Highways | $250,000 | Complete the design phase for the sanitary sewer and water location for Stevenson Road in Erlanger. | https://www.kentoncounty.org/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Item/2728?fileID=3917 |
Job training
| Enzweiler Building Institute | $406,250 | Hire a full-time trades administrator and invest in the construction and development of teaching labs at Enzweiler Building Institute in Covington | https://www.kentoncounty.org/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Item/3824?fileID=5952 |
| Enzweiler Building Institute (Programming) | $3,183,400 | Fund training for 240 Kenton County high school students and 400 Kenton County adults in skilled trades, including carpentry, facilities maintenance & remodeling, electric, HVAC, masonry, plumbing, welding and heritage trades through 2026 | https://www.kentoncounty.org/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Item/3906?fileID=6022 |
| Life Learning Center | $600,000 | Fund wraparound services to adult students participating in the Enzweiler skilled trades accelerated courses | https://www.kentoncounty.org/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Item/3999?fileID=6127 |
Human services
| Be Concerned | $180,000 | Provide food and other items to keep its pantry stocked so that Kenton County families can count on continued access to staple items for the next three years | https://www.kentoncounty.org/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Item/3886?fileID=5991 |
| Children's Home of Northern Kentucky | $242,500 | Fund technology and telehealth expansion along with facility renovations | https://www.kentoncounty.org/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Item/3887?fileID=5992 |
| Family Nurturing Center | $500,000 | Fund construction of a new building to expand operations and services, increasing accessibility and enhancing the overall client experience | https://www.kentoncounty.org/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Item/3888?fileID=5993 |
| Go Pantry | $367,400 | Fund costs of the GO Box food program for Kenton County students for 2023 through 2026 | https://www.kentoncounty.org/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Item/3889?fileID=5994 |
| Master Provisions | $415,000 | Add four modern refrigerated trailers and one container chassis to their fleet, expanding capacity for cold food storage to serve downstream food partners better | https://www.kentoncounty.org/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Item/3890?fileID=5995 |
| New Perceptions | $18,000 | Fund industrial sweeper to eliminate hazards and provide an effective and efficient process for keeping the work area clean and sanitary | https://www.kentoncounty.org/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Item/3891?fileID=5996 |
| Northern Kentucky Children's Law Center | $117,500 | Fund individualized legal assistance and group/community education workshops for vulnerable youth | https://www.kentoncounty.org/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Item/3892?fileID=5997 |
| Notre Dame Urban Education Center | $30,000 | Fund the Homework Plus program for three years | https://www.kentoncounty.org/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Item/3893?fileID=5998 |
| Transitions KY | $50,000 | Fund the renovation of 11 additional recovery housing beds for individuals with Opioid Use Disorder | https://www.kentoncounty.org/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Item/3894?fileID=5999 |
Revenue replacement/employee retention
| Kenton County | $10,000,000 | Provide revenue replacement pursuant to federal regulations | https://www.kentoncounty.org/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Item/3777?fileID=5921 |
| Kenton County | $2,717,354 | Support the retention of Kenton County employees | https://www.kentoncounty.org/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_02282023-257?html=true |