OCEAN COUNTY officials have scheduled a conference call for April 30th with the Mayors of the county’s 33 municipalities to review funding under the CARES Act.

“Ocean County has received nearly $106 million from the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (CARES Act),” said Ocean County Freeholder John P. Kelly, who serves as Chairman of Finance. “It’s important we have the correct information as to what the money can be used for and the procedures by which it will be distributed.

“We look forward to talking with our Mayors and municipal officials about this funding,” he said.
Joining Kelly on the call will be Ocean County Freeholder Director Joseph H. Vicari along with members of the County finance and administration staff.

“We will be sharing the guidance we have received on the funding,” Vicari said. “I am sure these funds will help our towns during the coronavirus pandemic.”

Payments from the fund may only be used to cover costs that are necessary expenditures incurred due to the public health emergency with respect to the coronavirus; were not accounted for in the budget most recently approved as of March 27, 2020 which is the date of the enactment of the CARES Act, for the State or government and were incurred during the period that begins on March 1, 2020 and ends on Dec. 30, 2020.

“Ocean County is pleased to receive this funding as I am sure our towns, as well as the county, have been incurring unanticipated expenses as a result of the coronavirus pandemic,” Kelly said. “I look forward to having a dialogue with the mayors tomorrow to review the relief fund.”

According to the U.S. Department of the Treasury, the Act’s requirement that expenditures to be incurred due to the public health emergency means that expenditures must be used for actions taken to respond to the public health emergency.

The Department of the Treasury stated funds may not be used to fill shortfalls in government revenue to cover expenditures that would not otherwise qualify under the statute. Although a broad range of uses is allowed, revenue replacement is not a permissible use of the Fund payments.

“It’s important the County and its municipalities are provided with the proper information so the money is spent correctly,” Vicari said. “Everyone needs to follow the federal regulations.”