Wood County commissioners met with grant administrator Kevin Dyer last Tuesday concerning the county’s plan for spending $8.8 million federal dollars coming to the county in the American Rescue Plan, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Dyer, with Grant Works, the firm the county has contracted with to ensure the spending meets federal guidelines, said that those guidelines are still being developed.

There are four broad categories for the funds, including direct pandemic response, premium pay for essential workers, infrastructure such as broadband and water and sewer, and compensation for lost revenue including future years.

Among questions Dyer will be researching are whether the funds can be spent on remodeling or expanding the county jail and whether investment in broadband can benefit a private enterprise.

Much of the discussion centered on methods to deploy broadband to rural areas.

The Wood County Economic Development Commission has asked the county to dedicate the ARP funds to broadband.

The county has received half its funds and expects the rest in May or June.

Deadline to spend the funds is proposed to be Dec. 31, 2026.

County officials will also be watching a bill that would add road projects to the acceptable expenditures.