Fresno County issues $3 million to help rural cities struggling with the COVID-19 pandemic
With the looming deadline for federally-issued coronavirus relief funds, Christmas came early for small Fresno County cities dealing with pandemic-related economic uncertainty.
On Thursday, the Fresno County Board of Supervisors gathered mayors and city managers from 14 rural cities to formally announce a $3 million spending package to help local communities. The board unanimously approved the funding at their meeting earlier this week.
The money comes from the CARES Act funds the county got to respond to costs incurred from COVID-19. The funds have to be used by the end of the year and are not intended to replace lost revenue. The state also issued portions of similar funds to municipalities, but many small city officials said it wasn’t enough.
From the roughly $95 million in CARES Act funds, county officials have earmarked spending on medial equipment and testing as well as programs aimed at helping residents maintain their businesses and housing during the pandemic.
The newly-announced allocation for small cities helps those small governments respond to their own crises as their money runs out.
“These small cities have a lot of unique problems that they know how to take care of,” said Buddy Mendes, chairman of the Board of Supervisors. “The idea is to get them the money.”
Each city will get a different amount of money. The county administration will be available to help the small cities with limited staff come up with a budget, according to supervisors.
Some of the city officials who spoke during a news conference in downtown Fresno still did not know how they would use the funds, while others presented ideas right away.
Mendota Mayor Rolando Castro said the city would address the city’s residents’ challenges, who are majority farmworkers. He said that working population faces a tough winter as work becomes scarce.
He said household incomes have already shrunk for some parents who have had to stay home and help children with school.
The $229,000 allocated to the Mendota will help fund social services, youth nonprofits, homelessness response, and housing payments, the mayor said.
“This money is going to be put to good use,” Castro said. “I promise you that.”
