BY PAUL MITCHELLNorth Country This Week

CANTON – The Town of Canton has exhausted its American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds.

Town Supervisor Mary Ann Ashley informed the board on Wednesday night, July 10, that one penny remained in the ARPA account.

The $434,665.36 in ARPA funds was used to pay for seven expenditures, including $242,084.55 to purchase 12 Stiles Avenue for the proposed sand/salt facility.

"The Town of Canton evaluated all the needs of the Town. We used a data based decision making process. We knew the ARPA funds could not become part of our ongoing budget items because they were not sustainable,” said Ashley. 

“I am proud of how the Town manages its 15 projected revenue sources for the best interests of the people. The interesting part is that not one of them is absolutely guaranteed,” she added.  

Besides the Stiles Avenue expenditure, ARPA funds were spent on a down payment for an ice resurfacer for the Canton Recreation Department ($12,169), Broadband study for the village and town ($4,000 – $2,000 reimbursement from village), Atlantic Testing services for 64 Main Street ($8,495.50), purchase of the former McDonald’s restaurant at 64 Main Street ($152,094.19), security construction in the Canton Town Clerk’s office ($10,620), and a tractor for the Recreation Department ($7,202.12).

“The nice thing about the ARPA funds is that they were given to us upfront. Then we submit proper documentation and reporting later,” Ashley stated.