Community Corner
St. Louis County Launches Online Survey For Community Input On Spending American Rescue Plan Act Funds
"Hearing from our residents on what needs are in their communities is critical especially as we talk about recovering from this pandemic".
February 25, 2022
ST. LOUIS COUNTY, MO - Residents of St. Louis County can now fill out a survey online to share how they think funds from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) should be spent.
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The online survey launched today on the County website, stlouiscountymo.gov. Click the “Community Needs Survey” icon on the homepage.
The survey will be live for three weeks. In the coming days, St. Louis County will announce the days and times for both virtual and in-person townhalls happening in March where the community also will be able to provide feedback. The survey and upcoming townhalls are among the community engagement efforts of County Executive Dr. Sam Page’s community outreach team.
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The team is led by Stephanie Lewis, Chief Transformation Officer; Veta Jeffery, Chief Diversity Officer; and Ethel Byndom, Director for the Office of Community Engagement. The survey was developed in coordination with the County Council. To help residents better understand and follow the ARPA spending process, an online portal detailing the expenses will be available on the County’s website next week.
“Hearing from our residents on what the needs are in their communities is critical especially as we talk about recovering from this pandemic,” said County Executive Page. “This newly assembled team has deep roots in the community and brings a tremendous amount of experience to the table. I’m excited to see this new initiative unfold.”
Cal Harris, chief of staff for Dr. Page, orchestrated the outreach initiative. He said putting together the community outreach team was a priority to ensure that the response to the pandemic continues to be an equitable one. Jeffery said the survey and townhalls are platforms designed to reach as many residents as possible.
“We are intentionally working to make certain that we include opportunities for those whose lives have been disproportionally impacted during this pandemic,” Jeffery said. “The pandemic has drastically changed our lives and needs have rapidly changed since the last distribution of funds. While the funds won’t solve all the problems our families are facing, the surveys offer an opportunity for us to learn what matters most to you today.”
This press release was produced by the St. Louis County Government. The views expressed here are the author’s own.
