Carbon County is working on how to get $5.7 million that it is receiving for COVID-19 relief out to those who need it.

On Thursday, the commissioners ratified the agreement with the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development for the COVID-19 County Relief Block Grant, as well as a resolution authorizing the execution of the grant agreement for the grant in the amount of $5,796,203.

Commissioners’ Chairman Wayne Nothstein said that the county should be receiving the funds shortly, and noted that discussions with various entities, such as the Carbon County Chamber and Economic Development Corp., have taken place in hopes of getting a plan on distributing the funds to businesses, nonprofits and other organizations for COVID-19 related expenses.

Committees to handle applications are being formed and applications for the funds are currently being developed.

In addition, Carbon County has amended its agreement with Zelenkofske Axelrod LLC for financial consulting services relative to the block grant. The additional services will not exceed $147,500, an increase from $87,500 previously approved, and will be covered through the grant’s administrative fees.

The county has also appointed one of its staff as the COVID-19 grant coordinator, who will oversee applications that come in.

How the process will work, once the administrative process and applications are set up, will be municipalities, nonprofits, businesses, etc. can apply for funds to reimburse expenses directly related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Applications will then be reviewed by the county coordinator and financial consultant before being turned over to the various committees. Once everything is reviewed, recommendations will be sent to the commissioners and finance distributions will begin.

“My fear is it sounds like a lot of money, but it is just about $5.7 million,” Nothstein said, adding he has no idea what to expect in how many applications the county will receive and what those costs will be in those applications.

Carbon County is hoping to begin the process next month, but nothing is set in stone at this time due to not having the money from the state.

Nothstein said he is hoping the county can begin awarding things in late August.

The board highly recommends that any entity that plans on applying to begin getting all necessary documentation for their expenses in order now and have all invoices for COVID-19 related expenditures or losses organized.

Commissioner Rocky Ahner said that it doesn’t matter if it is $100 on plexiglass for a mom and pop shop or if a fire company was forced to miss out on annual fundraising events and could says the company lost this much money because of the event being canceled, keep all documentation to show that.

Commissioner Chris Lukasevich said transparency is a main priority in this process to make sure the public and those who are applying understand the process and why or why not they are receiving what they requested.

“We have a good plan in place,” he said. “We have flexibility moving forward and we’re going to get those funds out as quickly as possible.”

Nothstein reminds those who apply that there is no guarantee they will receive everything they ask for.

“There may be a lot of unhappy people, but we’re given only so many dollars,” he said. “We’re trying to make it as fair as possible. We will do what we can and go from there.”

The commissioners said questions still remain on some aspects of distribution, such as should it all be distributed now since it has to be spent by the end of December, or should it be spread out to later in the year since more expenses will likely be incurred between now and the end of the year.

These details are still in the works.

More information on applying for these funds will be made available at a later time.