City of Detroit Lakes Yet to Determine How to Spend $1 Million in ARPA Funds

DETROIT LAKES (KDLM) – The City of Detroit Lakes is set to receive just over $1 million in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds over the next two years, but hasn’t yet determined how they’ll spend the money.

Half of the additional funding from the Federal Government will be given to the City this year, with the other half coming in 2023. Mayor Matt Brenk says the City has not approved how they’ll use the funding yet, but they are compiling a list, “It’s not set in stone at this point, but we do want to help the Food Pantry with their new facility”.

The Becker County Food Pantry has asked the city for about $250,000 to help relocate to a new space as well as asked for additional funding from Becker County and townships.

Additionally Brenk says there has been talk about using some of the funds to help buy down the assessments on the upcoming Willow Street road project which will reconstruct the street and utilities from Washington Ave. to Rossman Ave. this summer.

The city’s Finance Committee as well as the Council as a whole plan to finalize how they plan to spend the money in the next several months.