After two days of discussion, Northampton County Council unanimously approved a plan June 18 for the distribution of $27.6 million in CARES Act funding to help the county get back on its feet after a lengthy business shutdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Priority will be given to small business grants, tourism, municipal and community assistance, mental health and addiction projects, nonprofit assistance and broadband development. All grant funding must be approved by council before being awarded.

At a committee hearing June 17, council seemed ready to abdicate any oversight over $4 million in CARES Act grants set aside for small businesses suffering as a result of COVID-19. Northampton County Executive Lamont McClure proposed council give the money to Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce and let that organization pick the recipients for these $15,000 grants.

Council President Ron Heckman suggested council, and not the Chamber, should decide how to distribute the funding. By an 8-1 vote, council agreed with Heckman. Member Tara Zrinski was the sole no vote.

“I don’t think our participation is necessary,” said Zrinski, who argued the money needed to be spent right away.

But Heckman reminded her council is “the steward of this money. This is one of our fundamental responsibilities.”

Council member Kevin Lott, usually a staunch ally of McClure, sided with Heckman.

“I will not vote for a resolution that just hands money to the Chamber and says, ‘Have a good time!’” Lott said. “This is why we’re on council - to oversee finances.”

Council member Bill McGee suggested council review applications as they come in instead of waiting until all applications have been processed. Council member Lori Vargo-Heffner added council could call a special meeting to award grants, so the delay would be minimal.

This marks the first time since McClure’s election that council has disagreed with the executive. McClure said he understood the objection and would make sure council reviews every penny spent, from small business to nonprofits to municipalities.

“Our desperate small businesses, their furloughed employees and our embattled municipalities can rest assured I will continue to push hard to get the relief to them ASAP,” he said in a statement issued after the meeting.

This grant money must be spent by December.

Northampton County Department of Community and Economic Development has put together a guideline for the distribution of $27.6 million of CARES funds.

Small businesses are slotted to receive $10 million including small business loan and grant programs, small business marketing, technical assistance and the entrepreneurship/early state company protection program.

There is $10 million planned for municipal and community assistance. Aspects include assistance to the county’s municipalities for response and planning efforts, the purchase of personal protective equipment in response to the pandemic and assistance for bicounty ventures.

Nonprofit assistance programs are allotted $4.6 million to address food security and housing or tourism-related nonprofit organizations.

The final $3 million is planned for human services. Northampton County’s drug and alcohol and mental health divisions will utilize this funding to ensure existing consumers can continue to receive treatment services, including inpatient and outpatient drug and alcohol and mental health counseling; new consumers can access drug and alcohol and mental health services amid and beyond the pandemic; adequate funding for transitional housing services; providers having access to appropriate technology to continue and enhance telehealth services; an adequate supply of personal protective equipment for county and provider staff; and extended shelter stays for individuals experiencing homelessness.

Application forms for relief are imminent.