FARMINGTON — If Franklin County commissioners go through with a plan to give stipends to all employees who worked during COVID-19, the tentative cost would total $129,ooo, Finance Manager Vickie Braley said.

She gave a lower figure at Tuesday’s meeting but later realized it did not include all employees. She based her numbers on stipend amounts Commissioner Lance Harvell of Farmington gave her.

The money would come from the county’s $5.86 million from the American Rescue Plan Act over the next two years. The county received half of it, about $2.9 million, in late July. Commissioners are discussing projects, including a needed sewage system at the jail.

Stipend figures Harvell mentioned Tuesday are $5,000 for managers, $2,000 for full-time employees and $1,000 for part-time employees. The stipend amounts have not been approved by commissioners.

The $129,000 includes $2,000 each for three full-time elected officers, Braley said.

Commissioner Chairman Terry Brann of Wilton said that amount was more than previously discussed.

Harvell agreed.

Harvell, Brann and Commissioner Clyde Barker of Strong, all elected positions, said they won’t take a stipend.

The proposal could be written up that commissioners would be excluded, Harvell said.

There are about 75 employees, Brann said. He would expect to get some feedback from county residents, he said.

The stipends would not add to anyone’s taxes, Harvell said. All the projects being considered, including fixing the jail sewage system, would save the taxpayers money because they wouldn’t have to pay for it, he added.

Commissioners hope once they hire someone to oversee the federal American Rescue Plan Act funds, they will learn what can and cannot be done with the money. The overseer would be paid from that money.

They are also looking into the federal definition of what qualifies as an essential employee.

Braley said she was told that all employees who worked during the pandemic were essential. Lorna Nichols, a New Sharon selectwoman and the jail food service manager, said the way she read the federal document, which she had in her hand, is employees considered essential are health care workers, firefighters and police.

Someone pointed out that jail employees also worked through COVID-19.

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