A tabled grant award for a youth athletic association was approved last week by the Platte County Commission, with one abstaining due to personal ties to the association.
A parks and recreation grant was awarded to the Southern Platte County Athletic Association for the purchase of new uniforms, for $37,500. The grant program was offered to county organizations in addition to the county’s usual annual grant program to help offset hardships of the COVID-19 pandemic. Recently, 21 grants were approved, but one was tabled at the Tuesday, Sept. 8 meeting due to lack of quorum.
The wife of presiding commissioner Ron Schieber is director of the SPCAA, also known as the Northland Sports Alliance, and abstained from the vote. With the absence of district commissioner Dagmar Wood at the meeting the vote was delayed to the Monday, Sept. 21 meeting.
An agreement with the City of Kansas City for reconstruction of Green Hills Road was also approved, with a budget impact of more than $2 million for the planned project. The county will act as manager of the construction project in an agreement similar to others in recent years.
Also at the meeting, the commission approved a request by the sheriff’s office to seek proposals for tactical helmets fitted with cameras and radio equipment for the county’s SWAT team. Bids are due back in early October.
Recent CARES grant approvals have been to Fountain City Family Chiropractic, $20,000; Kansas City Hair Co., $6,377; Second Opinion Consulting, $4,153; Salon Capello Spa and Boutique, $12,000; Platte City Friends of the Arts, $178; World Liquors, $9,484; JBZigN LLC, $20,000; Sunrise Marketing Promotions, $7,345; Fabulous Hair Extensions and Wigs, $2,960; The Upholstery Shop, $1,002; V&V Nails Spa, $7,948; Anstaett Chiropractic, $12,000; McCrackin Chiropractic, $15,144; Ash Cigars, $24,961; and Rio Salon and Spa, $15,000.
Another round of grants was approved Monday, Sept. 28.
No funding path on immediate horizon for Health Department
The Platte County Commission has told the Platte County Health Department that it is in the process of creating a “Platte County CARES Political Subdivision Grant Program,” opening a path for the health department and other political subdivisions to apply for a portion of CARES funding.
Platte County received about $12 million in federal CARES Act funding to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic.
So far, commissioners have awarded grants to private businesses but have offered few opportunities for other entities to apply.
Health Department director Mary Jo Vernon said while the department was told this program was in the works, no further news has been shared on its creation or any timeline for applications.
In the meanwhile, the health department is footing the bill for COVID-19 testing as numbers continue to steadily rise.
As of Monday, Sept. 28, the total number of cases in Platte County is 1,613. Of those, 885 cases are within the city limits of Kansas City with 728 outside the city limits.
Of the Platte County cases, 493 have been released from isolation and 53 have required hospitalization and 12 have died.
A recent outbreak at the Tiffany Springs Rehabilitation and Health Care Center is within the city limits of Kansas City. In that outbreak, at least two dozen residents and more than 12 staff have tested positive, with at least one death reported.