The city of Harrisonburg has been awarded more than $23 million from the American Rescue Plan Act – and they're asking the community how to spend it. WMRA's Randi B. Hagi reports.
This Saturday from 1 to 3 p.m. at the Lucy F. Simms Continuing Education Center, the city is hosting a public forum for residents, businesses, and nonprofits to share how they've been affected by the pandemic and the resulting needs that could be addressed with ARPA funds. The event kicks off a months-long input process facilitated by JMU's Institute for Constructive Advocacy and Dialogue, and will be attended by city council members, including Mayor Deanna Reed.
DEANNA REED: We're hoping that the community will turn out at these community conversations … We will take two hours and try to kind of unpack what the needs are, or they feel like we need to use the $23 million that we're getting for ARPA funding.
WMRA's operating license is held by JMU's board of visitors, and JMU sponsors our programming.
There's also an online survey available in six languages, but Reed encouraged people to come to the in-person events.
REED: We felt like this would be a great way to kind of capture people's ideas. And I was asked earlier, well how should people prepare to come to these meetings? And I was like, they just come! … Whatever ideas they may have, you know, we want to hear them.
A second public forum will be held on March 28th at Keister Elementary School. Community groups can also request that facilitators set up separate events to meet with them by filling out a request form online.
