1. “ARPA Consultant” – this contract is currently under negotiations and we anticipate to award it by the end of September 2021. It will provide support to County staff to identify proper use of funds as needs or requests arise.

2. “Program Manager” – this RFQ is under evaluation and we anticipate to award the contract by the end of October 2021. It will provide general support with handling construction contracts and regulations applicable to those.

1. Countywide Broadband Feasibility Study – this RFP is under internal review prior to advertising. The study will provide a foundation of Broadband information for the County and will identify unserved and underserved areas of the county. The study will also provide granular data to understand best cost to benefit solutions per areas of the County, private or public.

1. General water line extension program (Proposed at $5MM) – this is a program to provide grant funding to builders within strategic areas of the County. Marion County has several communities that where platted prior to many of the water and wastewater regulations being adopted at the federal, state and local levels. The original developers of those communities started central utility systems but never completed them and now the builders have faced construction of central lines which have inflated the cost of construction in those areas. The County is proposing to establish a “first come first serve, while funds last” program to help reduce the cost of building in those communities in an effort to reduce the price of the homes. Central water systems also provide fire hydrants to the communities and potable water to the residences.

2. Marion Oaks water line extensions project (proposed at $10MM) – this project would help complete the water system in a portion of Marion Oaks, one of the communities with incomplete systems. The overall cost of completing the water system in the entire Marion Oaks Community exceeds $60 MM at this time.

3. Silver Springs Shores water and sewer line extensions project (scalable, currently proposed at $48.5 MM) – this project would help complete portions of the water and sewer systems in the Silver Springs Shores community, one of the communities with incomplete systems. Marion County is home to several first magnitude springs, one of which is Silver Springs. Silver Springs is considered an impaired water body due to the nutrient load. As part of the state effort to reduce nutrient load, a Basin Management Action Plan (BMAP) was adopted. The BMAP identified septic tanks as a major contributor of nutrients. The County recently completed a Countywide sewer feasibility study that determined that

Marion County recognizes that COVID 19 has placed a heavy burden on our community. Our non-for-profit agencies have had their workload expanded due to those burdens. While the Board of County Commissioners have not defined exact amounts, they have left some funds unassigned ($7.0 MM) at this time to reassess the best way to help our community.