City of Poughkeepsie
American Rescue Plan Act Portal
Local Decision Making Process
On This Page: Learn About The City’s Strategic Planning Process, How The City Makes Local ARP Related Decisions, How Reporting & Compliance Requirements Impact These Decisions & The Points of Engagement.
2022 Proposed Budget Message
View the 2022 Proposed ARPA Plan
ARP Strategic Planning
Investing in Long-Term Recovery
The COVID-19 pandemic brought more than just a health concern. The economic impact of COVID-19 continues to come into sharper focus, and governmental entities across the United States remain in the direct line of fire. Due to the dynamic nature of the COVID-19 outbreak, the degree of any continuing impact on the City’s operations and finance, is extremely difficult to predict. There are many uncertainties relating to the pandemic’s duration and severity, as well as with regard to what actions may be taken by Federal or State governments and other health care authorities to contain or mitigate its impact. As such, it will be important for the City to:
- Continually monitor how revenues have been and will continue to be affected by the pandemic-induced economic downturn;
- Use such proactive measures as may be required to maintain its operations and meet its obligations, and;
- Plan for the best and most strategic long-term use of its ARPA allocation
ARP Local Decision Process
ARP Task Force
The Task Force was created to support the City on ARP related matters and to assist the City in fulfilling its mission to identify and fund strategic initiatives that will maximize its allocation of ARP aid, promote the long-term structural fiscal health of the City and comply with US Treasury guidelines and requirements.
Recommendations of the Task Force are non-binding. As a pre-decisional non-binding working group, each member of the Task Force maintains the confidentiality of any data, information, or reports submitted or available to the Task Force.
The Task Force generally acts by consensus. If the Task Force is unable to reach consensus on an issue within a reasonable period of time, the Task Force shall then report to the Mayor for further guidance and disposition.
The Task Force are composed of the following members and facilitated by a Facilitator:
- Marc Nelson, MPA, City Administrator
- Brian Martinez, Ph.D, Commissioner of Finance
- Nathan Shook, Councilmember
- Yvonne Flowers, MPA, Councilmember
- Natasha Cherry, Councilmember
- William Brady, Community Member and City Resident
In conducting its review of a prospective use of ARP funding, the Task Force shall:
- Frame and prioritize issues;
- Conduct internal analyses, which may include, by the Task Force or by the City, community outreach, public engagement and/or informational meetings;
- Provide recommendations to the Mayor and/or City Council, which may include formal presentations, and;
- Provide implementation support as appropriate and necessary.
As further detailed below, prospective projects shall be categorized by the Task Force to fit within three quadrants, as detailed below:
Task Force ARP 101
Click below to view the slide deck that was utilized by the Task Force during its introductory meeting, held on August 16, 2021. The slides provided Task Force members with a better understanding of the ARPA.
CLICK HERE TO VIEW
Task Force Intake Form
Click below to view a copy of the Project Intake Form that is utilized by the Task Force to gather information and to inform the strategic decision making process:
CLICK HERE TO VIEW
Task Force Awards
(as of November 16, 2022).

Awards
(Click to View)
Compliance & Reporting Environment
Recipients are considered eligible jurisdictions that received an ARPA award.
Subrecipients are entities that receive a subaward from a recipient to carry out the purposes (program or project) on behalf of the recipient.
The US Treasury’s Final Rule details the various reporting and compliance responsibilities of recipients/subrecipients and provides additional information on eligible and restricted uses of funds. The City is responsible to file one initial interim report, followed by quarterly project and expenditure reports.
According to US Treasury Compliance and Reporting Guidance for State and Local Recovery Funds, recipients are accountable to the Treasury for oversight of their subrecipients, including ensuring their subrecipients comply with the ARPA statute, ARPA Award Terms and Conditions, the Treasury’s Final Rule and reporting requirements, as applicable.
ARPA Task Force Engagement Points

Key Departments:
Public Saftey
Parks
Infrastructure
Administration
Other Departartments
Targeted Interviews
Community Services
Family Services
Federal Government
State Comptroller
Consultant
State
County
Other Municipalities

Community Input to Date
Mayor Robert G. Rolison and the Council are seeking the community’s input to determine the best way to invest the City of Poughkeepsie’s $20.8 million allocation from the American Rescue Plan Act, President Joseph Biden’s pandemic stimulus program.