Meridian City Hall 

The City of Meridian is in the process of applying for about $8.9 million in COVID-19 relief funds.

The money comes from the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, a $1.9 trillion bill that President Joe Biden signed into law in March. The law provides aid to state and local governments.

Cities with a population over 50,000 people must apply for the funding directly from the federal government. Municipalities such as Meridian with less than 50,000 people must apply to the state government for the funds, as the Treasury Department sent that money to the states.

The Meridian City Council on Tuesday authorized the city to request the funds from the Mississippi Department of Finance and Administration.

Brandye Latimer, the city’s chief financial officer and city clerk, said Meridian has to request the funds through an online portal. Latimer hoped to finish submitting the request for funds by the end of the day on Friday.

She said the city is expected to receive $8,935,734, with half being allocated this year and the other half in 2022. Latimer said the city has until December 2024 to issue purchase orders or sign contracts involving the funding and until December 2026 to spend the funds.

According to a U.S. Department of the Treasury fact sheet, the funding may be used to:

• Support public health expenditures.

• Address negative economic impacts caused by the public health emergency.

• Replace lost public sector revenue.

• Provide premium pay for essential workers.

• Invest in water, sewer and broadband infrastructure.

Mayor Jimmie Smith said the city could potentially use the money on infrastructure projects under the city’s consent decree. In 2018, the city entered into the decree with the Environmental Protection Agency, which means that the city is having to upgrade its sewer system.

Smith said another proposal is to use some of the funding to build a water tank for the two hospitals in Meridian to serve as a back-up water source. Smith doesn’t yet know what the design of the tank will be.

“But I do know that our hospitals are of vital importance to our community,” he said, “and I think this is something that we ought to do.”

Ward 1 councilman George Thomas said he would like the money to go toward projects that cost at least $1 million. He said the funding could address projects associated with the consent decree or the city’s water treatment plant. 

“We’re looking at one-time projects — something that’ll last 10, 20 years — not quick-fixes to small projects,” Thomas said.