Sarasota County Commission approves Coronavirus Relief Fund allocations

 
 
SARASOTA COUNTY – The Sarasota County Board of County Commissioners made several decisions regarding the disbursement of CARES Act funds during a special meeting on Wednesday.
 
Decisions included:
Approval of a Fiscal Year 2020 Budget amendment to appropriate the U.S. Treasury Coronavirus Relief Funds in the amount of $18.9 million.
 
Direction for county staff to work expediently with the Sarasota County Clerk of the Court and Comptroller to distribute CARES Act funds by Dec. 30, 2020, or sooner.
 
Making applications for CARES Act funds available to the public in the month of September in the following categories:
Health & Medical.
Economic Recovery.
Food/Water/Housing.
Safety & Security.
 
To consider allocations specifically for programs in the Newtown community during the potential second phase of CARES Act funding.
 
According to Emergency Services Director Rich Collins, this guidance will allow staff to immediately start the processes to distribute these funds to the community. Local municipalities, non-profit agencies, businesses and individuals are among those that could be eligible to receive funds, Collins added.
 
“Just like the rest of the country, COVID-19 has had wide-ranging and varied impacts on Sarasota County. These funds will not only provide a boost to the community, but also help to restore some normalcy in the lives of those who need it the most,” Collins said.
 
The $18.9 million in funds are monies that have already been allocated to Sarasota County. But, the county could be eligible for up to $75 million total, Collins added.
 
For more information, call the Sarasota County Contact Center at (941) 861-5000 or visit scgov.net/CARES .
 

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