CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — This week, city council will vote on keeping all the federal monies made available during the pandemic, which includes almost $4 million for future projects on North Beach.
3NEWS talked with City officials on Monday about how the rest of those funds are helping replace city water infrastructure.
The City was awarded $67.6 million from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), a federal law passed in 2021 to help the country recover from the economic and health effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
City officials decided the money would be used for planned improvements to the city's water systems.
Around $30 million to replace outdated water lines, over $18 million for lift station upgrades, stormwater improvements, and other projects.
But Tuesday vote snags almost $4 million dollars for North Beach that could be lost to the City by the end of this month.
"We have an opportunity to take advantage of what's called a revenue replacement category through ARPA funding . . . we have about 3.7 million left under North Beach drainage projects that we want to qualify under this revenue replacement," City Finance Director Sergio Villasana said. "And what that does, that removes our deadline from December 31, 2024 or to obligate those funds."
Other projects include construction of Fire Station 3, and downtown outdoor dining development.
Councilmember Mike Pusley said it's a big win for taxpayers.
"We felt that the ARPA money would be a good way to do that, save taxpayers money," he said. "We wouldn't have to use local taxpayer money that this would come from federal tax dollars, and dedicate that to a number of projects over on North Beach."
Tuesday's vote will be to claim that left over $3.7 million in funds for future North Beach projects.