Millions in federal COVID-19 aid en route, but how to use it?

EPHRATA — The city of Ephrata is set to receive about $245,400 in federal money to assist in the city’s COVID-19 response as part of the giant, $2.2 trillion coronavirus relief bill passed by Congress in late March.

“The state is providing funds for cities and counties under 500,000 people,” said Ephrata City Administrator Mike Warren during a city council meeting Wednesday evening.

Warren said the funds will allow the city to seek “potential reimbursement” for costs incurred related to the COVID-19 response, as well as help local businesses and even the Grant County Health District.

“The health district has been there for us,” said council member Mark Wanke, who sits on the health district board and is also running for the county commissioner seat being vacated by Richard Stevens at the end of the year.

Ephrata is not the only city receiving funding under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act. Grant County is slated to receive $5.4 million, while Moses Lake is to receive $726,000.

Grant County Commission Chairperson Cindy Carter said that the county is still looking into how the money can be spent, though one place the county will spend it is housing the homeless who have tested positive for the novel coronavirus.

Carter also said the county is looking at ways to directly help small businesses.

“There are so many unanswered questions,” Carter told the Columbia Basin Herald earlier on Wednesday. “This is really, really challenging.”

Moses Lake City Manager Allison Williams said Washington state law prevents governments from “providing direct support” to for-profit entities like small businesses, and so the city is still waiting for some guidance on how best to do that.

In the meantime, Williams said Moses Lake is going to use a portion of the money to cover personnel costs as well as for the changes needed — like installing plastic barriers and stockpiling personal protective equipment — to reopen city buildings to the public.

“As we look at reopening, there will be other costs,” she said.

Every city in Grant County is to receive some money from the $300 million allocated to the state, according to data from the Association of Washington Cities. The awards in Grant County are as follows: Coulee City, $25,000; Electric City, $30,900; George, $25,000; Grand Coulee, $31,650; Hartline, $25,000; Krupp, $25,000; Mattawa, $147,600; Quincy, $231,600; Royal City, $68,850; Soap Lake, $47,550; Warden, $62,950; and Wilson Creek, $25,000.

According to the Association of Washington Cities, cities were awarded $30 per resident with a minimum distribution of $25,000. A number of larger cities, such as Seattle and Spokane, receive funding directly from the federal government as part of the CARES Act.

Charles H. Featherstone can be reached at cfeatherstone@columbiabasinherald.com.