The Cole County Commission is trying to spend the county's remaining federal COVID-19 relief funds by the end of the month.
Prior to this week, the county had $159,006 remaining of the just more than $9 million it received in May from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act. The County Commission is looking to spend the remaining money on one-time expenses.
Commissioners on Thursday approved two purchases for the Cole County Health Department, budgeting $8,000 for a freezer and alarm system that will be used to store COVID-19 vaccines once they start to arrive.
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The commission also set aside $5,000 for scheduling software to help the Health Department speed up the vaccine sign-up process.
Cole County Health Department Director Kristi Campbell said her staff continues to work on the list of people who indicated interest in the vaccine. As of Thursday, more than 7,000 people had signed up to receive information at colehealth.org.
"Right now, we're doing about 48 people an hour, doing 12 people every 15 minutes," Campbell said. "The new system will eliminate the need for a staff member to have to take schedules and implement them into the system. This new system would also allow our nurses to schedule flu clinics that they have to do in the fall at schools around the county."
Campbell hopes the new system will be ready for use in a couple of weeks.
Earlier this week, commissioners approved $7,954 for the Health Department to purchase supplies for upcoming vaccine clinics. The commission also approved spending up to $6,000 for a refrigerator at the Cole County Emergency Medical Services to house COVID-19 vaccines.
Commissioners also approved $3,500 for radios for bailiffs at the Cole County Courthouse to communicate with, as they have to space out people waiting for court appearances to meet COVID-19 physical distancing requirements. Also approved was $1,000 for an air purifier to be used in the courthouse.
The commission approved $545.60 for the Cole County Historical Society to address costs it has incurred because of the pandemic, as well as $2,600 for the Cole County Public Works Department to update software to address stormwater problems.
With the CARES Act money approved this week, $124,405 remains of Cole County's federal COVID-19 relief funds.
Asphalt overlay program
In other business, the Cole County Commission approved a change order Thursday to the final cost for work on annual road improvements.
Commissioners awarded this year's asphalt overlay program in May to Jefferson Asphalt for $780,933, the lowest of two bids.
Asphalt overlays this year included Terra Bella Drive, Terra Bella Court, Kendalwood Court, Catalina Drive, Ashley Court, Wellington Green, Grand Point Court, Sunny Brook Drive, Rabbit Ridge, Highland Waye, Aberdeen Waye, Balmoral Waye, Coventry Waye, Dalwhinne Waye and Edinburgh Waye.
Public Works Director Eric Landwehr said they ran into things that required extra work, with much of that taking place in the Charleston Place subdivision.
The total change order was $103,651, bringing the final total for this year's overlay program to $884,584.