Making good on his promise to share $3 million of Mercer County’s American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) allocation, Mercer County Executive Brian M. Hughes is pleased to announce the municipal grant amounts and the projects to be supported under the County’s Community Investment Initiative.

First announced in October by the County Executive and Commissioner Board, the $3 million set-aside was to assist Mercer municipalities with programs and services aimed at older adults, veterans and people with disabilities.

Specifically, the set-aside parameters were that the funds must be used to support, create or augment municipal programs and services in the areas of health, social services and transportation. The program is being administered by GrantWorks, the firm managing the county ARPA allocation, which provides ARPA program compliance, documentation management and reporting.

Mr. Hughes said each of the 12 mayors pitched thoughtful projects that met the criteria. “Our mayors know what they need, and I was pleased and impressed by the depth and breadth of their requests,” Mr. Hughes said. “In a perfect world, I wish we could fund each and every project that seeks to touch and improve the lives of our residents, and I appreciate this collaboration with the mayors.”

Mercer County applied the federal government’s ARPA funding formula to allocate portions of the $3 million to each municipality.

• East Windsor: $74,000; Funds must be applied to the bus driver’s salary, programs, tables, chairs, and/or A.V. equipment for the senior center.
• Ewing: $164,000; Funds must be applied to the Hollowbrook computer learning center, A.V. equipment, and/or senior programs.
• Hamilton: $445,000; Funds must be applied to a generator for the senior center, the installation of a new field for Miracle League at the YMCA, a freezer for the Mercer County CYO, and/or COVID-19 senior services.
• Hightstown: $14,000; Funds must be applied to HVAC repairs at the firehouse and/or at the municipal library.
• Hopewell Borough: $5,000; This allocation will be pooled with the other two municipalities within the Hopewell Valley for a total of $60,000.00 and must be applied to the design and planning of a senior/community center.
• Hopewell Township: $48,000; This allocation will be pooled with the other two municipalities within the Hopewell Valley for a total of $60,000.00 and must be applied to the design and planning of a senior/community center.
• Lawrence: $88,000; Funds must be applied to accessibility improvements to the Nature Center and/or lead remediation.
• Pennington: $7,000; This allocation will be pooled with the other two municipalities within the Hopewell Valley for a total of $60,000.00 and must be applied to the design and planning of a senior/community center.
• Princeton: $151,000; Funds must be applied to WeDriveU transportation services, dental services for seniors, veterans, and residents with disabilities through the Princeton Health Department, and/or mental health support through the Princeton Senior Resource Center.
• Robbinsville: $39,000; Funds must be applied to inclusive playground equipment.
• Trenton: $1,889,000; for ongoing renovations at Reading and Sam Naples senior centers, and enrichment programs.
• West Windsor: $76,000; To be determined.

At the October announcement about the program, the concept of which was brought to the County Executive by the Commissioner Board, then-Chair Nina Melker said, “The collaboration between the County Administration, the Commissioner Board and our local elected leaders is a perfect example how together we can work diligently in the best interests of our residents.”

The County Executive agrees.

Under the federal ARPA, Mercer County received $71.25 million in fiscal recovery funds intended to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition to the Mercer County ARPA allocation, municipalities received the following in ARPA funds:

• East Windsor: $2,680,560
• Ewing: $6,070,873
• Hamilton: $16,894,038
• Hightstown, $521,023
• Hopewell Borough: $187,230
• Hopewell Township: $1,741,165
• Lawrence: $3,186,161
• Pennington: $253,046
• Princeton: $6,057,088
• Robbinsville: $1,428,591
• Trenton: $73,786,424
• West Windsor: $2,740,187