Commission issues CARES funds checks
Ozark County Clerk Brian Wise, left, hands over a CARES funds check for $148,041.33 to Ozark County Ambulance District administrator Stacy Raney, who said the money would “replace front-line salaries” and also help reimburse the district for replenishing supplies and paying employee taxes and benefits. The money comes from the county’s allotment of approximately $1.7 million in federal funds appropriated by Congress in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) act, aimed at offsetting expenses related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Raney said the district’s finances “took a pretty big hit” during the early part of the pandemic, when fear of catching the virus kept many people from calling the ambulance and seeking medical transport to area hospitals. “We dropped down to 30-35 percent of our normal call volume in March and April,” Raney said. “We’re doing good now; we’re on solid footing again. And we’re very grateful for these funds.” (Times photo/Regina Mozingo)
The Ozark County Commissioners, at their Monday morning meeting, said more checks from the county’s CARES funds allotment have been distributed to reimburse Ozark County government and nonprofit groups, agencies, schools and businesses who have submitted complete requests, including receipts and other paperwork.
The money comes from $1,076,293 the county has received in federal funds distributed through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, which was passed by Congress on March 27. The money is part of $2.38 billion Missouri received through the CARES program.
Commissioners said these checks have been written: $23,923.74 for the Ozark County Health Department; $23,956.99 for Thornfield School; $148,041.33 for Ozark County Ambulance; $248.91 for the village of Theodosia and 3,025.41 for Take 5, a tavern at the state line. Additional funds are expected to be distributed to two hair salons in Gaines-ville, The Hair Shop and Southern Roots, when their paperwork is completed.
Private businesses that had to completely close during Missouri’s shutdown earlier this year in response to the COVID-19 pandemic qualified for CARES funds reimbursements, officials said.
An earlier check for $161,265.31 was presented to Gainesville School as part of its total $211,000 request. The first part of the payment reimbursed the school for cleaning and sanitizing supplies, including two Trident Scrub Ride floor cleaners, sanitizer, soap, towels, disinfectant wipes, etc. The school is also ordering Chromebooks, hands-free faucets and water fountains used to fill water bottles, all of which will be reimbursed out of the county’s CARES fund.
OCHD administrator Rhonda Suter said Monday her department’s first CARES funds check would go to reimburse it for expenditures such as supplies and testing, contracting tracing and webinars. She said earlier that CARES funds will also be used to prepare the department to administer a COVID vaccine, when it is developed.
Theodosia village clerk Shari Schaper said Theo-dosia CARES funds check would reimburse the village for masks, hand sanitizer and other items to be used for protection from or in preventing the spread of the COVID-19 virus.