By WKTV Staff
Kent County’s COVID Relief Subcommittee, drawing on a nearly $115 million federal CARES Act grant sent to the county earlier this year, approved a $2 million allocation to be used by county schools to purchase personal protective equipment (PPE) “to assist schools in dealing with the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.”
According to a July 30 county statement, the next step will be consideration and expected approval by the Kent County Commission’s Finance Committee, and then the full Board of Commissioners at its next meeting on Aug. 27. Most Kent County school districts are expected to be open by that date.
The funds would be allocated to public, private and charter schools, Board of Commissioners chair Mandy Bolter said to WKTV, and while allotment “details are still being finalized but in our initial discussions we would most likely use the last student count submitted by the schools to the state.”
The county COVID Relief Subcommittee members include commissioners Bolter, Stan Stek, Diane Jones, Emily Brieve, Roger Morgan, Jim Talen, Phil Skaggs, and Robert Womack.
“As schools consider how to reopen this fall, the safety and mental health of our children are the primary concerns of every parent I know,” Commissioner Bolter said in supplied material. “By allocating this funding, we can be part of the solution to keep our kids and teachers as safe as possible and help to bring back some normalcy in this crazy time.”
The Kent County Board of Commissioners has previously allocated CARES funding for other programs to assist specific segments of the county during the coronavirus pandemic, including funds being allocated to assist in small businesses recovery, for use by non-profit organizations services and shelter assistance groups, and a business PPE program.
For more information about the CARES Act and related Kent County efforts, visit accesskent.com.
