CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas —
Corpus Christi City Council members received an update on Tuesday regarding the allocation of funds from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) and its expenditure.
Nearly two years ago, Corpus Christi was granted approximately $67.6 million in federal funds to aid the local government's response to the impact of COVID-19 on the community.
The federal government made ARPA funds available to the city in two separate payments, totaling $31.5 million in May of 2021 and $36.55 million in June of 2022.
The U.S. Treasury Department outlined specific guidelines for the utilization of these funds, and Corpus Christi was among the first cities in Texas to define its allocation strategy.
City Manager Peter Zanoni emphasized that the majority of the funds were to be directed towards two primary areas: addressing aging pipes and resolving ongoing drainage issues.
“The city council at the time, with the staff’s recommendation, instead of distributing it thinly across numerous agencies and organizations, really put it back into the pockets of taxpayers and put it all into infrastructure," he said.
To date, approximately $30.3 million has been expended on waterline replacement and upgrades for numerous wastewater lift stations out of the allocated amount.
These efforts are ongoing in different areas of the city. Furthermore, over a quarter of the earmarked $100,000, specifically $26,000, has been utilized to install movable outdoor dining areas in front of downtown businesses.
A remaining sum of $10 million has been set aside for citywide stormwater improvements, while an additional $5 million will be utilized for enhancing the drainage system in North Beach.
In addition, approximately $4 million will contribute to the construction of Fire Station #3 on Morgan Avenue. Originally built in 1954, the station will undergo reconstruction to meet current firefighting operations and standards. The design plans for the project have already been finalized.
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