What would you do with the millions of dollars in COVID-19 relief funds that will be sent to the City and County of Eau Claire? That’s the question that will be asked on Thursday, Sept. 9, during a public listening session about American Rescue Plan Act funding.

Specifically, the listening session will address the Coronavirus Local Fiscal Recovery Fund – or CLFRF – which consists of $350 billion in ARPA funds intended to aid states, counties, cities, and other local governments recover from the economic impact of the pandemic. According to the U.S. Treasury, Eau Claire County will receive $20.3 million from the CLFRF, while the City of Eau Claire is slated to get $13.5 million.

The Eau Claire City Council and the Eau Claire County Board will hold a joint, in-person listening session from 6-8pm Thursday outdoors at Haymarket Plaza at 128 Graham Ave.

“Residents and individuals who own businesses in Eau Claire will have an opportunity to share their thoughts about how the CLFRF should be disbursed in our community,” a media release stated. “The City and County must follow particular guidelines and laws to receive Coronavirus Local Fiscal Recovery Funds. Still, direct input from you, as a member of our community, is an essential part of determining the distribution of money within the guidelines that the federal government has set.”

The listening session will follow the Public Comment Period format used at City Council, which limits speakers to three minutes each. (Learn more about the Public Comment Period here.)

Additional opportunities to offer input will be announced after the listening session, according to the media release.