More than $23 million in American Rescue Plan Act spending was approved Wednesday by the Madison County Board, shown in this file photo.

EDWARDSVILLE — More than $23 million in American Rescue Plan Act spending was approved by the Madison County Board on Wednesday.

In total, the county board passed 25 resolutions related to federal COVID-19 funds on Wednesday night, including 11 stormwater projects totaling more than $8 million.

Chairman Kurt Prenzler said the majority of the funding would go toward projects that will leave the biggest impact — stormwater and sanitary sewers.

“Often times when government gets money it goes towards streets and roads — the thing that people see,” Prenzler said. “What the board did was what ARPA intended. Now the county and its local partners can make long-term investments on the ‘invisible’ infrasture projects.”

Madison County Board Member Chris Guy, R-Maryville, who chairs the Finance Committee said board members worked hard and came together for the needs of the county and communities — which isn’t always an easy thing to do.

“We maximized the benefits of these dollars for the greatest number of people,” Guy said.

Madison County received $51 million in ARPA funding from the U.S. Department of Treasury. In 2021, it spent $25.5 million on projects that included cyber security, county infrastructure, pandemic response, sanitary sewers and stormwater.

Prenzler said in 2021 the county designated $7.8 million for Long Lake stormwater and $8 million in sewer funding for the Bethalto interceptor. On Wednesday he said the largest amount approved this week by the board for a stormwater project was $2.6 million.

“Wood River Drainage and Levee District will use it to rehabilitate the Bethalto interceptor closure gates and to replace the Rand Avenue pump station in Hartford,” he said.

In April, the Federal Emergency Management Agency issued the final letter of accreditation for the Metro East levee systems 100-year-flood stage. Work continues on the 500-year-level, as well as improvements to prevent interior (stormwater) flooding.

“The accreditation was a major accomplishment,” Prenzler said. “We are pleased to be able to continue with projects that help the levee system and prevent stormwater flooding.”

Officials also approved $3.37 million in funding for a Starcom radio communications system, which enhances emergency communications between law enforcement and fire departments/districts throughout the county.

County board members also approved $1.5 million to community fire districts. Fire districts will receive up to $60,000 in costs submitted to the county under eligible ARPA revenue replacement for expenditures from March 3, 2021 to Dec. 21, 2024.

Madison County Board Member Erica Conway-Harriss, R-Glen Carbon, said she is confident in the projects the board picked, as they followed the ARPA guidelines.

“We used the funding as it was intended and chose smart projects to better protect our communities from disasters and invest in our first responders,” Conway-Harriss said.

• Generators for the Administration Building and Courthouse: $500,000

• Wood River Drainage and Levee District stormwater work: $2.6 million

• America's Central Port stormwater work: $350,000

• Glen Carbon drinking water work: $662,500

• County highway fuel tank replacement: $250,000

• Madison County group health plan: $1 million

• Great Rivers & Route sports tourism: $750,000.

Ron DeBrock is a 40-year journalist who has led publications in Illinois, Arkansas and Missouri. He joined The Telegraph in Alton in 2019 as its managing editor.