BY JIMMY LAWTON
North Country This Week

St. Lawrence County and many municipalities within will receive more than $30 million in Federal Aid with the county taking the lion’s share.

The county will receive nearly $21 million in Federal Aid through the American Rescue Plan and many municipalities here will receive additional funding.

Towns receiving funding include Brasher at $230,000, Canton at $1.12 million, Clare at $100,000, Clifton at $80,000, Colton at 150,000, DeKalb at $250,000, DePeyster at $120,000, Edwards at $120,000, Fine at $160,000, Fowler at $230,000, Gouverneur at $760,000, Hammond at $130,000, Hermon at $110,000, Hopkinton at $110,000, Lawrence at $200,000, Lisbon at $440,000, Louisville at $330,000, Macomb at $100,000, Madrid at $180,000, Massena at $1.32 million, Morristown at $210,000, Norfolk at $490,000, Ogdensburg at $1.14 million, Oswegatchie at $470,000, Parishville at $220,000, Piercefield at $30,000, Picairn at $90,000, Potsdam at $1.69 million, Rossie at $90,000, Russell at $200,000, Stockholm at $400,000 and Waddington at $240,000.

An announcement from Sen. Chuck Schumer’s office says he helped secure $12.6 billion in direct state fiscal relief for New York State’s government.

He says New York State will also receive $358 million from the state and local fund for building out broadband infrastructure.

“It is estimated that New York State’s agencies and authorities will receive $30 billion from the American Rescue Plan, on top of the funds from the state and local fiscal relief fund,” the notice says.

The funding has some strings, but appears to allow for broad usage.

Eligible uses include offsetting costs associated with responding to the COVID-19 public health emergency or its negative economic impacts including, but not limited to assistance to households, small businesses and nonprofits or aid to impacted industries such as tourism, travel and hospitality.

The funding can also be used to support workers performing essential work during the COVID-19 public health emergency by providing premium pay to eligible workers or by providing grants to eligible employers that have eligible workers who perform essential work.

The money can also be used to cover revenue losses caused by the COVID-19 public health emergency and to make necessary investments in water, sewer, or broadband infrastructure.

The funds cannot be used to cover pensions or offset a reduction in taxes.

How the funding will be used by each municipality and the county is unknown at this time, but Ogdensburg City Manager Stephen Jellie says it's a welcomed announcement.

He said the city has many areas where it could be used and he’s still waiting to hear how much aid the city will receive from the state.

He said the fact that the federal payments are direct and not to be filtered through state channels is a major benefit.