The Mineola City Council approved spending almost $1.2 million from the federal American Rescue Plan Monday.

The city has received half the funds, about $590,000, and has two years to encumber the money approved by Congress for COVID-19 relief. It must be spent within four years.

The largest project is $200,000 for a downtown restroom facility at the northeast corner of Commerce and Johnson Streets to include electronics charging stations and seating areas.

It is the former location of the 1888 building and is planned to have a similar look.

The plans to convert the building at Front and S. Johnson Streets into the A.R.T. House by the Flint and Steel Coalition receives a $196,000 boost to help with renovations.

Those plans include areas for art, computers and music.

UT Health Quitman requested 11% of the city’s funds to help offset employee expenses during the pandemic. The plan will send $118,000 to the hospital, or 10% of the funds.

Fence repairs and replacements required by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality around the city’s water wells will get $143,721.

An LED billboard on Hwy. 69 south will cost $94,928 and will be used for emergency, safety and promotional messages.

Improved fiber internet connections for the downtown area and Nature Preserve is targeted for $90,000.

Some $78,000 will go to a protective canopy for police vehicles behind city hall.

The city water department will get a new vacuum trailer for $62,000, and the fire marshal will get a new vehicle, budgeted for $50,000. The old vehicle is being donated to the Wood County Airport as a courtesy car.

Cloud based document storage, which will assist employees working from home, is budgeted at $25,000.

A mobile highway message sign for use by police and public works costs $17,295.

The Mineola Civic Center and Mineola Main Street will each receive $10,000 to replace lost revenues from canceled events, and the Mineola Chamber of Commerce received $5,000.

Another $10,000 will go to replace the cloth chairs in the council chambers.

Placer location software is being obtained for $8,000 which tracks visitors to the city through cellphone data to assist with marketing.

The city has already spent $3,955 on testing and personal protection equipment.

The consulting fee to Traylor and Associates totals $59,047.