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The Tyrrell County Board of Commissioners decided on Aug. 4 on objects of expenditure of $393,284 CARES Act funds, County Manager/Attorney David Clegg said Monday.

CARES stands for Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act. It is a $2.2 trillion economic stimulus bill passed by the U.S. Congress and signed into law by President Trump in March in response to the economic fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States.

The commissioners offered 25% of the money, $98,321, to the Town of Columbia as a subgrantee, and the town has accepted the appropriation.

Columbia has until late August to present the town’s plan for uses of the funds to the commissioners, who will then submit the plan to state officials for approval. The county, as grantee of the state, will reimburse the town up to the limit of $98,321 when the plan is actualized, Clegg explained.

The county’s portion of the grant is to be used to provide Martin-Tyrrell-Washington Health Department with $25,000, the local food bank with $6,000, Tyrrell Volunteer Fire Department with $10,000, and the remainder for law enforcement and public safety agencies such as 911, Washington-Tyrrell EMS, emergency management, and the sheriff’s office, Clegg pointed out.

The above projects have been deemed eligible, he added, but changes to the distribution plan are likely if Congress approves another stimulus package that will infuse more money into Tyrell’s coffers.