Serving Barnwell County and it's neighbors since 1852
Dear Editor,
The distribution of Barnwell County American Rescue Plan funds was recently covered by The People-Sentinel. I was pleased that Barnwell County as a whole could employ the available American Rescue Plan funds to improve services and assist businesses, non-profit agencies, and first responders. However, I was disappointed that nobody in Williston (business, non-profit, or first responder) applied for any funding.
Availability was advertised in this paper and on radio. Those that looked into it should have found the application process relatively simple, especially considering funding involved governments. The categories for eligibility were also surprisingly broad, especially the category “Responding to Negative Economic Impacts” which included “Small Business and Non-Profit Assistance”. “Investments in Infrastructure” also included a catch-all “Other” category. In other words, it would have been easy to make a case for funding that would serve the Williston community. I live close to a golf course that could have significantly benefitted, I see emergency services lamenting the unavailability of funding, there is great need for childcare facilities in Williston, and housing in many areas is in a poor state of repair. The latter could have benefited from the category “Building Stronger Communities Through Investments in Housing and Neighborhoods” which the Blackville Community Development put to excellent use receiving $420,000.
It appears that we in Williston are either fiercely independent and want no government assistance even though obviously, in the final analysis, it is derived from our taxes, or we aren’t paying much attention to what is available and missed out on a wonderful opportunity.
Larry N. Adcox,
Williston
