Kettering shifts $16M, OKs new plan to spend ARPA money on police, fire

The city of Kettering is shifting how it is spending more than $13 million in federal COVID rescue funds.

The Kettering City Council Tuesday night voted 6-0 to approve a measure that includes having American Rescue Plan Act funds pay for safety personnel expenses, a change from the 2022 budget approved late last year.

Council approved a resolution for a net transfer of about $16.25 million “that allows us a lighter administrative load” on bookkeeping procedures, Kettering City Manager Mark Schwieterman said.

Kettering had budgeted to spend about $13.7 million in ARPA funds on capital equipment, capital improvements and community programs, Schwieterman said.

The move redirects the COVID relief money for public safety costs while also shifting funds from the general and capital improvements funds to cover the costs for which ARPA money was earlier earmarked, he added.

ARPA, a $130 billion federal COVID-19 relief plan for local governments, was signed last year by President Joe Biden. Kettering received two allotments of about $6.92 million in those funds.

Other local cities receiving rescue plan funding include Dayton, Fairborn and Springfield, according to the U.S. Treasury Department.

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