Local leaders are looking into the possibility of CARES Act funding to help cover expenses in the budget due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and it could amount to hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Allocation of funding available in Polk County totals up between the cities and county to $669,208, with a good portion of the funding split between the county government, and the cities of Cedartown and Rockmart.

However the process of being able to claim these funds – which is just a overall portion of CARES Act funding available in the first phase – is complicated, and being split between Aragon, Braswell, Cedartown, Rockmart, Taylorsville and the unincorporated portions of the county.

The total Phase 1 allocation for Polk as a whole is $2,230,692. The various governments can take 30% of that, and statewide there’s only a pool of $1.23 billion available after cities over 500,000 received their share. Georgia got $4.1 billion overall from the CARES Act (Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act) passed in late March, and after apportioning the funding the $1.23 billion was what was left.

Polk County’s $669,208 of that is being apportioned by population and local governments have to first apply for the 30% allocated for their use, and then provide the necessary paperwork to back up the need for the funding.

County officials are waiting on more guidance from the state on when the application portal for local governments will become available, and what specifically the funds can be used to cover.

Cedartown City Manager Bill Fann added that more information is needed before anyone in local government can move forward to secure the funding portion they can apply to receive.

“While we’re glad that we will be able to recover some of the expenses related to our COVID-19 response, we’re cautious at this point as we’ve not yet received a comprehensive report as to what is eligible and the process for reimbursement,” Fann said.

The CARES Act was approved by Congress on March 27 and provided for a variety of funding of federal, state and local governments and the expansion of unemployment insurance across the country after the COVID-19 pandemic impacted the economy and sent millions home from their jobs.