Extension helping answer CARES Act questions

AgriLife Extension Agent Leonard Haynes told Donley County Commissioners Monday that his office can serve as a liaison for information as local governments and businesses try to take advantage of the CARES Act.

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, approved by the federal government in March, provides a wide range of relief measures, and Haynes said the state has tasked the AgriLife Extension Service to help implement those programs for local governments.

Speaking at the county’s regular meeting, Haynes said he has sent information to city and school officials in the county and said he would be contacting the hospital district as well.

According to Gov. Greg Abbott, the CARES Act provides $5.06 billion in funding available to local governments in Texas. The US Department of Treasury sent more than $3.2 billion of those funds to six cities and 12 counties with a population greater than 500,000. The balance of $1.85 billion will be available to other cities and counties throughout the state for reimbursement of direct expenses incurred by cities and counties due to COVID-19.

“It looks like most of this will go to emergency management, such as our sheriff’s office and EMS,” Haynes said.
The extension agent said he had already been through a training on an overview of the CARES Act and that now AgriLife was beginning to focus on the details of the act. Haynes was scheduled Monday to be trained on the parts of the act that would affect ag producers. He said the act is a something that won’t be understood overnight and that more trainings would be coming in the future.

“I want to you to feel comfortable, if you have questions, to contact me as a liaison,” Haynes told county officials. “We have a team at Texas A&M that will get us answers. I probably won’t know the answer, but our team will get answers within 72 hours.”

Haynes encouraged local officials to sign up for updates and online educational resources. He also said that in addition to help for local governments and ag producers, there are resources in the act that help small businesses as well.
For more information about the Extension service’s CARES Act resources, contact the extension office at 874-2141.

In other matters before the commissioners court Monday, the county approved purchasing a new motor grader for Precinct 3 at a cost of $307,318 to be financed over five years; took no action on purchasing a new lawnmower for the courthouse lawn; approved 14 tax deeds for properties at Howardwick; extended for 90 days the disaster declaration related to the COVID-19 outbreak; tour the former Hall Bookkeeping office and discussed possible renovations to use the building for the adult probation office; and directed the county attorney to draft a policy for landowners who want to work on county roads.