Overview

The American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) is a US $1.9 trillion economic stimulus bill passed by the 117th United States Congress and signed into law on March 11, 2021.

The City of Chanhassen has been allocated more than $2,883,849 as part of the Federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). The money is allocated to provide relief from the COVID-19 pandemic to cities across the nation.

Eligible Uses

There are many eligible uses of the funding. The U.S. Treasury Department requires recipients to use the dollars to meet local needs within the following four categories:

• Address negative economic impacts caused by the pandemic on households, small business, and non-profits
• Providing premium pay to essential workers
• Replace public sector revenue loss
• Investments in water, sewer, and broadband infrastructure

Projects

For 2022, the city budgeted to use $160,000 of the funds to offset the cost of the two full-time firefighter positions and the economic development manager position. In 2023, the city is budgeting $135,000 of the funds to continue to offset a portion of the cost of the two full-time firefighter positions and the economic development manager position. The City Council has also committed $1.3 million of the funds to start phase one of the Lake Ann Park Preserve Project. 

In September 2023, the Chanhassen City Council committed the remaining $1,288,849 to the Lake Ann Park Preserve project. These funds will be used during the 2024 construction of boardwalks, hard surface trails, and to construct a parking lot in the Greenwood Shores Park.