(KMZA--The Nemaha Co Commission on Monday approved a resolution to accept $2 million in federal funding to help address the health and economic challenges inflicted by COVID-19.

County Emergency Management Director Russel Lierz said he is working on forming a committee to determine how the county's appropriation should be spent.

Once established, Lierz said all requests for reimbursements will need to be directed to the committee in writing with documentation explaining each request.

Once the committee is established and educated on how the program works, he said they will begin accepting applications. Until then, Lierz said they strongly encourage businesses to collect documentation on expenses and estimates for future expenses incurred as a direct result of COVID-19. 

The state of Kansas received more than one billion dollars under the CARES Act, and is distributing the funds in three rounds.

A state task force is charged with distributing the funds. The first round, 400 million dollars, is being distributed July 15 to 103 counties in the state based on population, number of COVID-19 cases in the county and the county's unemployment rate.

Nemaha County must submit a plan to the state by August 15 that outlines how it share of the funding will be used.

Counties are encouraged to share the funds with cities, school districts and businesses.

The funds must be used by December 30.

Once established, all requests for reimbursements will need to be directed to that committee in writing with documentation explaining each request. Once this committee is established and educated on how this program works, they will begin accepting your applications. Until then we strongly encourage businesses to collect documentation on expenses and estimates for future expenses incurred as a direct result of COVID-19. 

For more information regarding this program and what could be considered an allowable expense, please visit:  https://covid.ks.gov/spark-county-resources/