ALC-PEER

Give already members. Mr co charity heavy thing you'd like to say don't all right tony were read go to you thank you madame chair and section be these are the various temporary appropriation requests the first item is a letter from the department of agriculture natural resources division is for at three hundred thousand spending authority according to the letter this is to cover the increase number of projects breaking across fiscal years and for other reasons staff learned that this is for the unpaved roles program this is support about fees on landfill permittees and solid waste transporters b two is a letter from administrative office of the courts is for ninety five thousand this to cover increased demand for court reporter substitutes and to me rising travel costs is supported by the state central services phone. B three is also a letter from admin after the courts is for four thousand six hundred this is the cover increased demand for court interpreters and for rising travel costs it's also supported by the state central services next item is before the letter from the department department of education division of career and technical education is for one point two three million in appropriation this is the cover increased in roman and location centers it supported by transfer from the office of skills development that's at the department of commerce and according to the letter payments of facilities are based on enrollment and there's been an increase of two thousand students from fiscal year twenty three to twenty four next I don't be five of the letter from destivision county operations is for fifty million five hundred fifty five thousand appropriations this is to participate in the newly authorized summary electronic benefit transfer program for children. This is a point about federal phones. And a release of two point nine million from the restrict reserve plan that will be require requested later in the agenda and asked to pay for half of the administration of the program. At jared those rather requests in section b thank you just as reminder members we're going to take it be one b two if you have a question charming at the right time in the unwarped what they out objection will try to match these is much as we can if you have one you would like to pull out for a separate bulk please let me know with their i'm gonna say any question to be one. Me too three four. Five soon he can recognized yes and this may be for the agency. If they're here. You'll come down to the table employees introduce yourself for the record. Yeah. Yeah. Mitchell stuff staff dhs. The. Merry franklin director of the division of county operations dhs. Mr ubank deputy secretary for operations badger and interim cfo for dhs you're recognized in okay i'm over here on your left man's mansion that is not as it relates to the to the program man manager relates to the way you're doing this I just want to get some specifics so has this been a program that has been ongoing for a certain number of years or is it or is it a new problem that you all are doing. Good morning senator hickey this is a new program it has similarities to the pandemic ebt program that you're probably familiar with that did go on for the last several years. That this is a different program it doesn't have any covered or pandemic related requirements and it is for children who are eligible for the national school lunch program and or home school private school children that are receiving snap to receive ad at summer benefit that they can use like snap but it's not snow so it's it's a new great program this is the first year for operation of summer ebt and unlike pandemicky bt over the last three years where one hundred percent of the admin was covered. Admin costs to operate it this year will be fifty five okay and I understand that you're probably going to tell me what you don't know what to federal government is going to do but it's an operational cost and I guess from that standpoint you know if we perceive that this were gonna be ongoing for in the future should should that be included in your overall budget instead of coming in getting that two point nine million and again I understand that this is the appropriation but the funny way coming next or i'm just covering it all at one time so the thing I guess that i'm asking is is is there a reason that you're not factoring in that into your budget because if it's not factored into the budget then it's not in the growth that you know that we were shown the other day yes I understand at this time where committed to doing some or ebt for summer twenty twenty four and we're working rapidly to be able to do those benefits for this summer and then further decisions will be made about future summers and we would come back and have additional conversations okay then they don't I don't respectfully. Do you but you always configure that there's going to be an ongoing program and that you're going to have these operational costs from now own or you just tell me that you're just thinking this is up one time thing is this only a one town of the end since this is a new program senator hickey I think what we're approaching it as is we're we're seeing how it works this first year and trying to get some stats and data behind it and to see if it's something that we want to continue going in to next year there there are a lot of requirements that are different than the pandemic ebt for this summer ebt and so we want to make sure that works for arkansas so that's one of the reasons we don't have it as an ongoing because we we haven't fully committed to whether it's an ongoing program okay and I guess from staff's the important I don't know if you can do this if this same thing comes up next year. I think you know we need to have the discussion if it's going to be a recurring experience is going to come out of restricted reserve at what point you know does that need to be factored in i'm on start asking those questions on multiple things today as we see it at this point thank you appreciate the explanation thank you and told me if you could flag that soft it comes back. It's a monday from me any other questions. Seeing them thank you for coming do I have a motion for approval of one being one two three four and five motion second all in favor at with that we're going to move down to see. Thank you manager where in section see these are the american rescue plan act appropriation requests. All requests and today's agenda are direct to words from a federal department to a sin agency there is one request by the division where for services and eight requests by the department of health so the first one is that the vision were for services requested see one this is for one million seven hundred thirty nine thousand and american rest you plan appropriation this is to identify fraud and lower the improper payment rate in the unemployment insurance program see two is on page eight. On page eighty c two this is the first request for department health this is for eight million hundred eighty two thousand is to replace a legacy system with a new one one system for the women infants and children program next item is on page ten. On page in a seat three this is a request this is a reallocation of previously awarded appropriation they were requesting to move three point two million and appropriation from five different line items to operate in expenses and staff learn the department intends to have the funder intended to be lost for prisons in jails for staff lab testing suppliers points of characters ppe clean products and equipment next items on page twelve. The. Page twelve health this is another real occasion for department health this is to move two point nine million from their grants and aid to operate in expenses in conference and travel this is to support testing and mitigation in home with service sites in cantenance and other congregate settings such as group homes as well as cover contracts in purchase of supplies for the outbreak section. Next items on page fourteen. Page fourteen this is for department health is five hundred and forty dollars in appropriation this is to return overpayment to the cdc. Next item is on the next page c six rompage fifteen c six this is the whole department six hundred and sixty five thousand it's the cover salaries at the lab IT contracts their information management system and a web portal. The next item is on page seventeen. On page seventeen and see seven this item is being pooled by to see request so the next item will go to its page twenty two. The. On page twenty two c eight this is for nine hundred and seventy eight thousand from the department this is to advance at a modernization activities and produce at that a governance plan. Next item is on page twenty four on page twenty four is c nine and we get noticed lately after your seat pull this item this is request by the agency the bullets was that noted in your agenda manager those rather requests for a problem thank you members do we have a question i'll see one. Two. Three. For five six or eight. See you know questions to have emotion to approval motion second all in favor say I okay thank you members with that we're going to move down to item number day. Thank you madame chairman section d these are the infrastructure investment jobs act appropriation requests. There's only ones from the department of agriculture division natural resources is for twenty five million two hundred nine thousand and to make loans to public water systems to improve treat improved treatment distribution sourcing and infrastructure projects thank you members I have any questions on day. Representative I mean senator chesterfield you recognized thank you madame chair we have some twenty five million dollars here's a correct. And i'm wondering do we have any ideas to where that's going to be spent or is this to be done by the application of those entities that need it if I have their agency come down so they can answer your questions senator thank you. If you will please introduce yourself. The. Good morning chris call cleasure director natural resources division department of act. You reckon that senator chest feel for yes will this have you already identified the individuals all will this be through a great process it'll be through an application process so they'll have to apply in some of this is loan and some of this is loan with principle forgiveness so it's not a hundred percent grant up front so it's not totally great but what part of it would be granted is half an half forty nine percent would be great yes and how does one get them out as an entity get the grant as opposed to having to pay it back yeah so what they have to do first as they have to be on our project priority list for drinking water projects because this is drinking water fines the other thing to be eligible is your you have we go off what's got a rate burden factor so which is one point five percent of your media and household income is spent on your water bill that's what we look at to be eligible what what is our really identified you said that you had some in the great process you said something about you already hate some things identified as everywhere no man we don't have we don't have those projects identified that would qualify for these phones when when the entities apply that's when we'll look at all the projects that come in at that point how will you advertise this so most of our water systems across the state are used to applying for fines through us refunded over six hundred or three hundred projects last year alone in so communities will apply to us and and we typically give out these funds in november so we do principle for given response in november what are you going to do to make sure people know you can assume that they know because some people who are really understand the process may know but those who don't understand the price this may not know how will we make sure that every every entity whether they have been a part of the process or not will have equal access and equal term to apply for them yes ma'am so what we typically we work through water and waste water managers association and we work the cumunities unlimited. And other funders and other partners across the state to get the word out when we have dollars available you're not going to advertise it on television radio you're not going to use any that we typically don't do television or radio but we do we also have a distribution list for all of our water and waste water systems so we have a list serve in those folks on our we also give it to the health department and they publish it in their newsletter so you know within your heart that this process is going to reach all seventy five counties. And areas that will need it and have traditionally not known how to ask that's my concern there are areas that traditionally don't know how to ask. I need to make sure that this twenty five million in those areas that don't know how to ask are traditionally those areas that probably need it the most. We can't continue to do business as we've always done it and make sure that these people know about it that's my concern yes ma'am I understand we also work with municipal league to and so we work through their district raps and we're we're going to be heavily involved in the municipally conference this year okay thank you thank you represent a volte you're recognized thank you madam chair I have the same concerns that senator chesterfield has because we know that there's more than twenty five million dollars worth of infrastructure that has to be fixed in the state of arkansas so how will you determine who gets these monies yes may I am so one to be eligible you have to have a rate bird factor of one point five so that means you know you have taken on that you have done the things you've raised her rates to take care of your system and so to be eligible for the principle for giving us dollars you need to be at one point five to be eligible and this is what we write in our intended use plan to epa on how how we intend to use the fines and then we have a project priority list where we ask systems to put their projects on the project property list we rate the clean water side department a health ranks the drink and water side and then we find off that list we run out of money okay so I agree with senator chest field again I don't know how areas are actually going to know and my other concern is a lot of rural areas are not going to be shovel ready they're not going to be anything close to this area and those are the the things that you're talking about they probably do not know about actually I do agree with our one hundred percent and even if they do they probably can't take on more debt to actually fix the the problems that we have with the infrastructure with water in the state of arkansas they can't raise rates because it's an elderly community or whatever the process might be whatever the problem might be so we've also got to figure out how we're going to help those communities who do not have clean water in their areas. And they can't afford to move forward in the aspects and which you're asking them to do so I would like to see something that's bright that shows us in the near future how we're going to start tackling these areas in our state that have true water issues that are drowning or they're not having water that their communities can actually drink in that to me as a huge problem for our state and we've got to figure out how to how to out of circuit. Fix it so thank you madame chair thank you senator love your recognized the given shared in mr co closure i'm here to you and left so so i'm not i'm not going to power more into that but I am I do wish to cut ask you in regards to your process you say you're going to be working with the municipal league so are you going to are you going to be doing a work shop at the municipal league for. For for this because II mean I know that she will have done in the past i've worked with. A nr seafree a number of years and I know your process so so are you are you used planning on doing something a little different to begin to kick start yes aware we're actually working with municipally on their agenda right now and so it's going to have a heavy water focus okay in the number two per traditionally you all work with the the planet and development districts have you all leaned on them a little bit more regards to actually trying to get this information out or and or or partner with them to connect come and do work shops within their within their service districts i'll have to check on the planning districts you know a lot of times we work closely with the water and waste water so managers and those sorts of folks those associations are because those are a lot of your managers across the state that manage water and waste water systems or can so we work with them very closely we work at the rule water association will work with communities unlimited in a lot of different routes and we often are given presentations to those groups about our process and what's available on what's common because your lifetimes that's the direct entity that's working on those systems. Okay I would I would encourage you to work with the planning development issues as they usually make the applications for the smaller communities in order to get this project's funding in the and lastly you said although although water right studies are there are they actually are they are they coming in are they coming in as they should be an accordance to the statute are they are they slowly coming in so the first set to do this june so where we don't have the I mean we're getting some but the mandatory requirements going to be later this summer but we are getting some rates in four projects that had you know substantial development and that was a previous requirement under axec so far when included it came out as part of the last session. In our you are going to be depend on their information to make your funding decisions yeah I mean that's going to be part of it obviously you know ultimately. Yeah we want communities to charge an adequate rate so that they can take her their system we we have very little grant money we have a primarily loans and it's very difficult for them to take on any sort of debt unless they charge an adequate rate okay all right. Thank you ma'am cheer thank you senator urban you're recognized thank you this is money in addition to the previous funds is that correct this is new money so this mean for federal money would you would you be open to coming to public health committee and kind of really fully discussing this issue because I think there's a lot of concerns from the members of the legislature and I think we probably need a little bit more of a time to set aside and just kind of discuss this because this is a big deal not just to their districts but to mine as well for a rule are consulted particularly so we've got it a meeting set for march twenty eighth and so if you could come to that and then maybe we can dive in a little bit more and get more of a comprehensive view of all the different funding sources that you're utilizing how we're getting the word out who were working with and really kind of have a focus because it's huge public health issue water and waste water is of course so we can also invite the department of hell to participate in that as well but I think it would be a good thing to kind of just help us help ark institutes in our areas if that would be acceptable to you yeah i'd be more than happy to do that I thank you members if you could take your conversations outside this quite noisy in here I would appreciate it we're having hard time hearing thank you with that represented a bad recognized for your question. Thank you madame here at a couple of questions this is great program you have the guidelines and everything already drafted on how you're going to administer the grant so so this is actually an existing program it's just plus start so this is your three money of a five year and so this is our third year installment asks i'm so followed. Could you could you provide that information to the committee so that we can have that information also then we as the legislators can share that in our local rule communities and a second question is what's the maximum amount that can be awarded under this grant program and based on the criteria that that you laid out effectively how many of our water systems are applicants that you've seen would qualify for the forgiveness portion. Okay so first statement yes I can send you the the information on how we do things second you know it's it's all based on when they apply cause we actually make flooding decisions every two minutes so the commission meets every two months we're making funding decisions. The majority before of what we do as long and so into these can come to us at any time to get along but we do the principle forgiven the spanning in november case it's typically when we do that so it's based on who applies at that time for november it is there are certain maximum or is it so we typically we won't award more than seventy five percent so we either do a seventy five twenty five fifty fifty or or twenty five or seventy five twenty five in the one that's based on where they're rates are and so for example for communities at one point four and they've got a large project so once I get to one point five will kick in some principle for given this dollars to try to keep the rates down I mean we don't want any community have exorbitant rates thank you senator history recognized for a question. Yeah these phones are these are needs based or they match in grants how do you have any idea how you plan to. Use those so won their formula base come to us to the stay and then once once we have them we will find loans or or just straight up if somebody needs a loan well underwriter as long as they can repay the debt back then we're good on the principle for giving the side there's just the eligibility requirements of you know they have to be at one point five and they have to be on the project property list and those list are ranked so their scoring criteria and so when folks admit their application to be on those list then they are automatically ranked and there will just find down the list based on who applied until we run out of funds. Thank you. Represent a blade him and it recognized. Thank you madame chairman there seems to be a lot of confusion about getting the word out of people in you you mention that you work with the municipal lead correct yes so unless has changed all five hundred cities in the state of arkansas are members of the municipality that still correct far as I know. The municipally has a designated person. Who is qualified in this waste treatment area that works at the medical league that correct. They may be unasking questions do not know that nobody from the news believes here. It's my understanding that they have a person there at least they did when I was mayor and I think they still have that program in they will actually go out two cities of cities request and do training in this or regional training do you know if those programs are still in effect I don't know if they're doing the regional trainings I mean just. Within the last couple of weeks I actually spoke to their executive committee about the totally related different issue which was led service line. But I know they have regional reps in at least a couple of the regional reps are trying to help us get the word out about some of our funding don't know if they still do regional meetings I know the northeast arkansas but i'm not sure about the other parts of this day. Alright thank you. Thank you representative mcclurry recognized. Thank you in your list that you were talking about communicating especially in this rule area you read off quite a few I may have miss have missed this but in that did you mention a list of addresses that would be for the board members of some of these utility companies water boards especially the rule ones. I don't know that we've got the address is that have to look in our distribution list our email reserve to see if their email addresses are in there I think the smaller the community or especially the rural area the more you can get into the homes because it could be very easily misplaced in these people like you've already heard are probably don't even know this is available. Thank you. The. Um one of the arms that plays a big part in there especially the grant part is the amount of media medium income is is that not right that is correct okay well now i'll give you a good example like in a pay until arkansas probably medium incomes so that seventeen thousand dollars but you have bigger farmers that live in that tray on that might set over all group thirty five thousand. Of median income can you can you adjust this thing or come up with some some type of new formula so that we can get the spokesmen called and folks up there basically or not drinking their water and they can in washer clothes yeah that we've we have heard that complaint but you are right now the only thing we know to go off of this is sensor stater and. You would have to determine a better source that's consistent all the way across the board for every community and right now the best available data is what we get through you are sensors thank you very much soon repetition recognized thank you madame chair over here to your left right so so someone had mentioned shovel ready and it triggered a question on the do you ever have an occasion where these projects they come in with the application they've got all their funding in place now then they have it engineered and and and bid comes in and and it rarely happens i'm sure but it's over budget at that point do you have a a window of time that they've got to find other sources or it's recaptured or or how do you track how long do they have to fill that gap once they open bids yeah so typically what we do is we provide when it's approved by the commission and we submit it we provide a ten percent contingency that allows us to go ahead and if there's a 10 percent cost over run. But typically if it's a much larger than that then they could just come back and ask for additional phones and so for example our last commission me most of our projects that we did in february where we're better over. Thank you any other questions members. C none thank you appreciate it members say no other questions they have emotion. Second all in favor of they are with that we're going to move on to item e. They came out here were in section either this is a real occasional resources for the department of human services. For flexibility special language allows the department to make four realications in a physical year to respond to changing client needs and make the most effective use of the resources authorized this is the third reality for fiscal you're twenty four and on the last page as a table a schedule that shows all the transfers. The first table at the top of their page shows appropriation transfers with thin divisions and tolls around twelve point seven million. There are four divisions making internal transfers the secretary's office is moving one point one million to cover expenses incurred on behalf of the department of education that's following the passage of the learns act and to cover increase extra help that was needed during the hiring freeze county operations is moving five point three million to cover increased case management snap appeal cases case back logs fingerprinting rare utilities for summer ebt program and it's he relays expenses. Develop all disabilities is moving to twenty billion for nursing contracts food and drugs are facilities and you services is moving three point five million coverage increased juvenile population and facilities. The next last stable at the bottom of the page shows position transfers and there's a total of four transfers on the request to or to the secretary's office wanted to children and family and one is you services thank you representative hickey you're recognized thank you for the agency that this for the agency again today just come down please and introduce yourself again for the record. The. Mitter else cheapest after. The. Ms misty ubank's depending secretary dhs thank you and don't think i'm picking on you all you just happen to have quite a bit of stuff here today and I know this this seems fairly standard but I want to make sure that. With with the current budget that we have so you took a million dollars out of the professional services and you put it up and you actually put it in to operate operational expenses within the budget that you're going to do did you adjust that budget by that amount or did you leave this or did you leave it this way in anticipation of doing this again next year. So we did not make any permanent budget adjustments for twenty twenty five no this is for our current twenty twenty four operating bed and since this is a short term expenses for transfer entered the learns we're not sure if work in a continue to have the same expenses or not however if we do need this we would bring it back before this body in or neither resource realication. So the million dollars could you explain that to me what exactly what exactly tap expenses did you have and for the learns act with that million dollars so we continue to have staff from our early childhood education division formally with DHS as well as a small unit with first connections they remain on our property and are using our facilities including rant it infrastructure generatorial services things of that nature we have a memory in a moment or standing under which we can build ade to get reimbursed for that this is just anticipating that we will get reimbursed before the end of this fiscal year and what would what would make you think that that would start that that wouldn't be an own going tap experience so I do understand from eighty that they are looking for other locations to permanently move their staff ok if it does continue your own see it again I think we just need to get it get it all correct and in just one one last thing madam chair on the on the hundred thousand dollars for extra hill and I don't think this is in the packet it's in some other stuff i'd seen. But it said it was for increased cost that you've already incurred during the harrying freeze is that correct. That that hundred thousand it's a hundred thousand dollars too i'm sorry i'm i'm not sure which line you're asking about okay and the last page of the package right there i'm sorry if you say the very top one right there so that we're just you know and again I understand this is appropriation and you're one of only three agencies they can even do this in the state because if there's another if there's another agency that of course was short you know on what they could do they would even have that ability to come down here so that's this is why i'm asking you about this one yes are so some of that has been just do to hiring freeze but it's also been details needing some specially help particularly in office of finance in some other shared services areas where we've been able to find folks and utilize extra help so and i'm not going to hold you to this and I know i'm kitchen off guard but this this wouldn't just for one person this was for multiple individuals that these dollars went to I mean is it two three tms that's correct these are from multiple individuals secretaries office also holds a great deal of our extra help appropriation agency whenever we say multiple people I mean the hundred thousand for extra help that was spread out over how many folks are anyone tom we could have I mean I would say anywhere from ten to twenty extra helpful that's all I needed to hear thank you thank you manager represent the barrier you recognized they came out of joint so earlier on the better look and ill between these two so have a few months ago we discussed DHS and there because they didn't submit the federal waiver a lot of our constituents snap benefits were being cut but have those in the biggel's been notified that that's being worked on. And it was not a legislature issue and it's not going to happen again. Please introduce yourself again for the record. Good morning mary franklin director of the division of county operations with department and payment services. So we are working and have identified some individuals who we did the nodder in that period of time when the resource limit was not updated and we are doing additional data research to see if they were subsequently approved see if we can locate these individuals and we will be working too correct that that error of hours and we have not completed it yet but we are in the process of identifying working through that so you'll identify them and their benefits be restored. If they are if they qualify otherwise with all the requirements yes sir okay great thank you they can mention senator chest field recognized thank you madame cheer and first of all let me just take a point of personal privilege to say thank you mary you have always taken my calling you have been invaluable in helping me play some false it didn't have homes or anything else and I just want to truly say thank you publicly for your response it has been rather remarkable and I appreciate it very very much thank you I want to say this to his madam sheer and mr chair as I look at under find transfers the alphabet soup. A state government. It is always nice if we have something a separate sheet that were explained to everybody here exactly what we're talking about. Because we are assuming that everybody understands the alphabet super state government and they do not and so I know we are doing it more in person now where it would be helpful if everybody knew what a das fund was or a DBA fund or dc all fine because you are assuming that they all do and we're having new people coming in all the chairman that's not the case and I find that through to out a lot of these reports that we have the assumption being. That everybody knows what state government alphabets suit means it does not but again thank you again for your service I appreciate you so very very much and thank you matter. Thank you senator any other questions seeing no questions I have a motion for approval second all in favor of they are with that we're going to move down to item number if. Thank you ma'am chair we're in the restrictory reserve and transfer requests the first item was a letter from the department of human services this is a two point nine million dollars fund transfer and it's from the various general discretionary majority vote set aside account that's with in their situations are fun. This is to match federal funds for the new summer ebt program the fund to be used for administrative costs of operating the fifty point five six million dollars program the request for appropriation for the program was approved earlier in the age in the and that was be far then you're very superior preparation the next item if two is a letter from department of commerce division or for services this is a sixty thousand dollar transfer from the ebd or contingency set aside account this is to support maintenance of the former army navy hospital hot springs through the end of the state fiscal year for the community's information imperials he approved two hundred and twenty five thousand in august of last year and now is to cover expenses to the end of this quarter ma'am share those rather requests thank you sooner hickor you're recognized this would have already ask on human service I need a commerce if they're here on a someone from the agency come down please. And if you will please introduce yourself for the record. Job extra commissioner reab services. April cooperative oas sooner you recognize yet thank you thank you couple of questions so we've been doing this since two thousand and nineteen. Okay and I know that we've had these conversations and I don't know if we want to go go through that in here about what what you are doing to try to get out from under this but so we've been doing this since two thousand and eighteen have we been asking for sixty thousand dollars basically the out of a restricted reserve every year or exist the first year that we've done there first year for this but we have as for various amounts depending on how court we want to extend that contract we work closely with the governments office and established in that link so last year we didn't ask for this sixty thousand the odd yodding need that money or you already had you already had other funding for we have previous funding that we have received through a similar process okay or did that money come from do you know through the governor's office in various funds that I have a list of them back insure with the committee I would like to hear though if you don't mind you would you have made front of you no I don't have oh okay whenever you say various phones with explains that. The legislature such as rainy day fires yesterday and they come before the credit for approval okay so this other thing is of course with restrict reserve the reason i'm asked about the restrictive reserve you know if we have a budget and this is going to be ongoing sure that doesn't flow through the through the budget so I understand that you may have got it from rainy day we actually had done a legislation on twelve thirty one whenever governor hutchison was going that radic rainy day would be no more so that's not even available because of an act by the legislature so as I see that you have to come you know now to get it out of one of our restricted reserve accounts. But here's my question are we going to continue to try to get these out of fund balances year over a year over year or should that be sure that be factored in to uh are operating budget or do we finally have the plan of how we're going to are going to get out of this issue and I would defer to the alice in my chief of staff for commerce to answer the long term introduce yourself for the record good morning alice and happier cheaper staff at the department of commerce yes heard to answer your question we are working with the governor's office but with the federal delegation the feds are creating a grant program that we are in the process of applying for funds that is going to begin to cover these cars but also replenish the funds that were asking for to cover these expenses and we anticipate that I mean the date keeps moving a little bit but we anticipate by the summer or fall having those fans in time means nothing to me but it seems like to me and maybe it's been a year ago that we'd heard the same thing about this grant process I believe so I understand the date gives move in its own going but I just whenever I started looking at staff since two thousand nineteen at some point i'm like well as it really going to happen or not so yes i've shared those same thoughts with you uhm we the federal delegation was here last week and from our meetings with them we feel more confident that this is going to happen and we're going to receive the funds we've expressed a strong desire to receive those to replenish these the funds accounts is at grant program already been approved at the federal level or are we trying to get him are they trying to get some funding there and then as to get approval or do you know what process is that as I understand the funny has been approved they're still waiting on appropriation for that so we're standard by the applies they open a portal and we get that over the federal funding for a next five years or so okay our pre show keeping explaining this to me you're over you thank you that was. From in the aa so we we've actually seen it so that does make us full but more confident and it is a can I share the amount it's three point seven million so hopefully that will replenish like she said so that did give us a lot of hope that we've seen a document. Okay so this money's been coming out of state gr one where the other out of our fund balances whenever you do get. This block of money this reimbursement and if it is two point seven million checks when I come in to you all is that the way they're work if if the cheque comes in the urs are going to come into the state where were those phones be placed at that point will they be. Will they be sent back down here to the legislature for us to. Put those in our into our phones or was it your intention that you're going to keep those how how does that process work. I believe that the funds we talk through it and where the initial stages we just met with them last week that the funds will be granted to reap services to execute and we can't subgrant these funds need to talk through how we come before the legislature. Well if it's a reimbursement for these past expenses that we've done you know I guess I guess that is a conversation needs to happen with our leadership you know because if we've been if we've been putting out money since two thousand and nineteen and I don't know how much it how much is being I know this would sixty in about one point one million since about two hundred we've got a list of it is about one point one million for various funds that's been given to it mac mark question is is whenever they finally get a check. Is the one point one million is that going to be set back to the legislature or they're going to absorb that into their phones just to use in the future so I guess that's a conversation that we need to have also so if if staff would mark that again that's probably a question with leadership. Sender have has curious speaker shepherd or whatever but that's probably a conversation we need to have there you know whether or not those are going to those phones that we've spent for this are going to flow back or not. Thank you thank you. Sinner to urban you're recognized the center hicky really asks my question because you said they would be replenished so when you say you replenished does that mean specifically them back to the ebd can change and see fee finds rainy day fund whatever replenished back to state gr and so that's what I it's just really a follow up because he asked my question but I do think II agree we need to have that conversation because you you you said that. The green would be there to replenish the funds that we have expended on this project. Is that was that what you intended to say or is this two point seven million dollars for ongoing plant ongoing I don't think it's sixty three was actually said replaces as I understand that grant again I just learned all of some of the details about two point seven it is just for increasing the security presence up there and fire protection I did not get an understanding that is going to replace any funds that have been expedited already that I can confirm that but that's to understand I took away. Yeah. Okay but I mean I think that the language us gave the ads in your present yeah I think i'm may have just said that we'll have to be certain on their but my understanding is we're trying to get this federal many to you know cover theirs moving forward and so we came today just for the sixty because we don't want to use you know and the administration doesn't want to use any more friends from the rainy day funds are restricted reserves so the idea being could we consider replenishing like for this ask and then the two point seven five would be moving forward to cover so that we don't have to continue coming back to ask for general revenue to cover it. Okay so I don't mind or sitting with I don't think it would go back we'd have to have a firm conversation for the what is it one point seven since twenty nineteen that we've spent now. The. Okay III think we just need to have more of a comprehensive plan here and with federal grant money money that's already been spended from state general revenue and then what the plan is for continuing operation is it gonna be in your budget is it gonna be you know how how is that gonna be budgeted you know and how long is that federal money in the last then are you gonna go right back to needing rest restricted reserve that's a conversation at these to happen so I was just going off of the language now yes ma'am certainly we would like a plan moving for road france yes thank you. Sinner disminder recognized bit and just make sure I understand so this these are state funds that we spend that most likely should have been covered by the fares but they didn't have their act together and so we're still in limbo there's an overall plan I guess for the building itself and we'd like to be out from underneath it altogether at some point in the future so hopefully it's not a forever tap issue and the phones that it were made when you say replenish or whatever though the phrase is a deal no and it sounds like maybe you don't are these expenditures that we will make amazing i'm assuming the federal government isn't going to write a check directly to security detail is it a reimbursed tap situation where is we're going to write a check and seek reimbursement out of a fine or they can also have allocate the one point whatever two point whatever any ultra out of that account. It let yeah we're getting the details it is as I understood it it's going to be a grant to the state we will receive it our agency will receive it and would pay expenditures related to the extras of that brand so be that expanded security be that showing up the buildings in adding extra fire protection but that's the intent of the grant itself and it is reimbursement. Yes incentive this may we agree with your assessment this um building we would like to revert to the thirds of this point they have not accepted it and so we're maintaining it and working with them to hopefully revert it yes. Sinners double filled are recognized. The. Thank you matcher just followed with a couple of other questions I think we're all where are the volatility and washington should they should these grants by some strange phenomenon not be granted do you have a plan be. The. I think for our agency while we're going to continue to work with the governor's office stick secure funding to keep security up on the property and work with local officials as well to find other sources of funding to keep security and fire protection on that property but that's still speculative right. I don't have a funding in my agency to find it direct right I can't find a directly so he really don't have another alternative. Should each of these press not be approved by wife not within my agency. I thought it manager thank you represent a bad recognized thank you manage here just a quick question make certain that the issue with a fair taken the building back they were continued upon a completion of a phase two environmental sturdy and well what was the cost of that environmental study the that we receive they just wrapped it up we have got the report yet itself or the cost associated with it they have a follow on study that they want to do that I think will cost out some of that so the army has that answer court of engineers and I could get that once it's done so that that was the hold up on the figure that if I understood this from the history is that they would not accept the building back until that was completed so that they would understand what they were taking back that they had placed on that property to begin with that is true that is one of the steps I think there's still a question of about a bateman. Impossible removal of any material up there yeah that was what learned in asbestos yet was in the middle other so. With with that study being wrapped out in near completion then could we relatively expect that it's somewhere in the near term future they would be taking that building back. I can't speculate for the army there was a lot of that discussion last week with the right people in the room for engineers army representatives national park service department of interior folks were all there that have a vested interest in this so i'm sure they were going to start working towards some instead and that's the purpose of that two point seven is to keep the area secure the building secure for five issues until we get to an institute no cause because there original arguments just complete the face to there was nothing mentioned as as on on a bateman and and take care that they just want them to know what was layer the gold post keep over for me thank you sarah hickey recognized just one more based off representative babies question about a bateman so they have they indicated that you all if that report comes back and there is a bateman required that the state itself is going to be are we going to have to pick up those costs has that been discussed what's the deal with their i've not heard that said straight board like that at all. It it's hard to me it's item either if if. If what i'm hearing here that the the fairs wanted to environmental steady prior to receiving it back in on what they're up against basically and there was to come back in and it's going to require some huge amount of money for a bateman. I mean are they for sure they are not going to take it or they're just going to keep dragon his own so. Again in I understand i'm i'm I want to beat be upfront I understand that this is dropping ourselves or whatever it's just from from our standpoint it's like well we're going to keep keep their own these phones at it I think it's interested field had the may have said it best in here you know although they were hopeful for this we understand how they're involved I mean it's important we're going to have to have a we're going to have to have another option. On which way to go especially especially if there were to be something a huge bateman issues that the state here would have to grab hold and pick up which sounds how it would be and we'll leave it out thank you thank you any other questions saying none I have a motion for approval I second i'll in favor of say i'm alright thank you with that we're going to move down to the items for review thank you for coming we're going to start with item g. The. Thank you matching a room section g this is the appropriation in our fund transfer request section there's only one item it's for the auditor stay special language in their economs and appropriation transfer after review by alc daughter request transferring twenty thousand appropriations from regular salaries to professional fees the letter explains the officers had to outsource services due to not being able to hire for an it or a county position as a conversational systems any members any questions members see none without objection this item is reviewed we're going to go down to adam h. The. Make you have chair in section each these are the cash for an appropriation request the first item is a letter from northwest technical institute this is for five hundred and forty thousand the cash for an appropriation this is to cover their new aviation program and their second day cursing her they have campuses that focus on welding automotive animal near future refrigeration the aviation program is supported through an email you with the spring does school district and the second day christmas is supported by the office of skills development. Next island h two is a letter from auditor states for nine million and appropriation and this is to cover the projected palestine on clean property thank you any questions members. Seeing none without objection this item these items have been reviewed. Moving down the eye. Thank you match everyone's section I these are the mislanes federal grand appropriation requests the first item is for the office of the prosecutor coordinator this is for eighty eight thousand and federal appropriations they have a grant from the us department of justice to encourage careers as prosecutors and public defenders and this is the student low repayment program. Number two is public safety commission on law enforcement standards and training it's a hundred thousand preparation they have a grant from the office of substance abuse in mental health to provide education and training for officers to identify understand and respond to mentally illnesses in substance substance use disorders in crisis. The next item number three is the chest division of counting operations is for three point five million appropriations they have a grant from the administration for children and families for a block grant to address poverty at the community level. Next item number four is being pulled by abc request. Number five is department of hill is for one point nine million appropriations they have a grant from the department of justice to utilize the arkansas prescription drug program to inform the public in health care providers of prescription trends by devision the quarterly auto protocol design and publish a prescription's ashboard and develop reports with dispensation metrics mountain those are all the ms requests thank you so much seeing any questions c n n these adams will be reviewed and with that we're going to move down to adam jay. They came out share where in section j these the pay plan appropriation requests they are in nineteen agencies requesting additional spending authority for regular salaries match and extra help totally five point three million appropriations most of the requested due to increases to employee benefit contributions performance increases and salary justice that three largest equipment requests reby parks and tourism at one point eight million and they sign increase calls related to the solar eclipse mentally lost the courts requests one point three three million and the auto state request one point three million both the auction news licensing board and the real estate commission requests two thousand and extra help that's according to the request due to the position being filled at a higher hourly rate of pay to recruit qualified individuals. Members we have any questions say enough this items are going to be reviewed and with that we're going to move down to the reports adam number k. They came out chair will start with monthly reports the first one is a surplus included this should be sure report and this shows the sources of unobligative phones and in the distributions for the restricted reserve and catastrophic reserve fund as of the end of february. The restrictions are fine that's in the middle table shows three hundred and seventy three million distributions in an overall balance of two point one three billion the total catastrophic reserve and balance is one point five three billion the second page of the report break sell the set aside accounts within the phone and today's transfer requests will come from set asides one in o two that's in the middle charter of the page and it's about two point nine six million together o one is the various general discretion majority votes have aside and has a current balance of eighty three point nine billion the request for the new summary ebt program by dhs is two point nine million so the new balance will be eighty one million o two is the ebd or contingency set aside and has a current bounce of twenty six million the request for the arks are created training sue by rehabilitation services for sixty thousand so the new balance will be twenty five point ninety eight billion the new overall balance after today's request or approved alc will be two point one three billion. K two is the budget stabilization trust and report and shows cash flow loans throughout the fiscal year as of the end of last month there are twenty seven point four million announced any loans in the cash balances a hundred and sixty eight point nine million k three it's a tobacco settlement report and he gives a summary of income than balances investments actual payments in state in on the second page draw expenses by or i'm sorry third page or all expenses by fiscal year k four is to see central services and report and it shows the phone belts and disbursements as well as expenditures of each agency supported by the phone. K five is the last reports for the american rescue plan the first six pages of this report shows requests there were approved by the state the balance of the state fiscal recovery funds the report is two hundred and fifty million there are no requests and today's agenda that it should be from this source of funds so the balance will remain to enter in on the seven page begins attachment a as a report of the arabic funds that were since directly to state agencies from various federal departments and opinions twelve is attached to b that's the report of arp funds that were sent directly to institutions of higher education now chair section l is the quarterly report this is for d chest state hospital storm damage. Also approved five million from their **** reserve and and transferred to d h in september for storm damage repairs at the state hospital the repairs will be covered by insurance when a reimbursement bases. As a condition of approving the transfer alcee required quarter reporting of the status of the project the department's report says three hundred fifty nine thousand expenses have been incurred thus far for disaster cleanup and the especially been been is under way the second page shows a breakdown of expenses which includes a baby and flood damage for mediation of different units and share those are all the reports thank you members we have any questions on reports saying not no other business. We are a john.