Dade County receives $731,000 in C.A.R.E.S. Act Funding for COVID-19 relief

Dade County E-911 and Emergency Management Director Alex Case announced that the county received $731,000 in GEMA and C.A.R.E.S. Act funding.

 

Case said that these funds are only allowed to be used to help prevent the spread of and exposure to COVID-19. Case encouraged county commissioners to refrain from special called meetings to debate on what equipment will be purchased with the funds.

 

A vote was approved by the commissioners to allow County Executive Ted Rumley and any other commissioner to review C.A.R.E.S. Act bids and contracts without calling a special-called meeting. The decision was made in order to quickly provide safety measures for county staff and citizens.

 

Case said at the Aug. 13 weekly county update that the funds will be used specifically to purchase dividers, personal protection equipment, sanitization stations, laptops for employees working from home, payroll expenses and upgrading the telephone system for teleworking.

 

In order for these funds to be spent on such items, a request and monetary amount must be sent to a specific website used to process C.A.R.E.S. Act funds and the county must wait for approval. Once approved, receipts must be sent back through the website.