FARMINGTON — Franklin County commissioners voted Tuesday to allocate a combined $310,500 in federal funding for four projects.

Commissioners put the projects on a contingency list in June 2023 for funding from the county’s $5.86 million allotment from the American Rescue Plan Act.

Commissioners were waiting to hear if the county would receive about $2 million from the federal government for a new emergency operations center to be built on County Way. The county received an award letter recently saying it will receive the money.

The first project commissioners approved for ARPA funds is Heaven’s Cupboard, which delivers food free of charge to residents in Franklin County and beyond. It will receive $30,500 for a pre-kitchen where food such as produce can be washed, dried and stored.

The second project is $75,000 for an engineering study for the aging grandstands at the Farmington Fairgrounds. The overall project is estimated at over $1 million.

Commissioners approved giving $80,000 for a new roof at the Phillips Area Community Center as the third project.

Finally, commissioners approved $125,000 for a ventilation system for a family and consumer science program at the Bjorn Center for Career and Technical Education being built at Mt. Blue Middle School in Farmington. Principal James Black said in June that during COVID-19 it was discovered students didn’t know how to make meals.

He said last year that there is not enough money to equip the space for the family and consumer science program, mostly because of the expense of ventilation hoods. Years ago, the program was called home economics and taught students to cook, sew and do other everyday activities.

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