Harford County, Maryland

Recovery Plan 

State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds

2021 Report
Harford County, Maryland 2021 Recovery Plan Performance Report 1

Harford County, Maryland

2021 Recovery Plan

Table of Contents

General Overview......................................................................................................................2

Executive Summary.................................................................................................................2

Uses of Funds .........................................................................................................................2

Promoting Equitable Outcomes ...............................................................................................2

Community Engagement .........................................................................................................2

Labor Practices .......................................................................................................................2

Use of Evidence ......................................................................................................................3

Table of Expenses by Expenditure Category...........................................................................3

Project Inventory.......................................................................................................................6

Performance Report ................................................................................................................6
Harford County, Maryland 2021 Recovery Plan Performance Report 2

GENERAL OVERVIEW

Executive Summary 

Harford County, Maryland has received $24.8 million out of its total American Rescue Plan Act 

(ARPA) allocation of $49.5 million. At this time the county has spent $1.7 million on what it 

considers to be eligible projects, these would include $1.4 million in premium pay for eligible 

county employees who worked during the pandemic, $248 thousand to replace the air handling 

units in the main county office building and $42 thousand for Covid-19 related public service 

announcements and other communications. Harford County has also calculated $3.5 million in 

revenue replacement. These funds will be used for public safety equipment for both our 

Sheriff’s Office and our Volunteer Fire Companies, as well as roadway resurfacing projects. 

As for the remaining funds, Harford County has needs in many of the broad categories of 

permitted uses, such as broadband extension, public safety and infrastructure. In addition, the 

county expects that a continued direct response to the pandemic will be necessary over the next 

several years. To that end we expect further expenditures for community health programming

and personal protective equipment, practices or technology that encourage social distancing 

and remote access, and on-going education and vaccine promotion efforts. Also, it is possible 

that negative economic effects may lag, and while the county’s revenue outlook is currently 

stable that could change requiring the county to use more of its ARPA funds as revenue 

replacement to provide for normal government services. As further guidance comes from the 

federal government on what is and is not an eligible expense and new information develops as 

to variants of Covid-19, the county will be in a better position to allocate funds accordingly. 

Uses of Funds

Harford County has used $1.4 million for eligible projects detailed in the Project Inventory 

section below and identified $3.5 million in revenue replacement that will be used for public 

safety equipment for both Harford County Sheriff’s Office and our volunteer fire companies, as 

well as roadway resurfacing projects.

Promoting equitable outcomes 

To Be Determined

Community Engagement 

To Be Determined

Labor Practices 

To Be Determined
Harford County, Maryland 2021 Recovery Plan Performance Report 3

Use of Evidence 

To Be Determined

Table of Expenses by Expenditure Category

Category Cumulative

expenditures to 

date ($)

Amount spent 

since last 

Recovery Plan

1 Expenditure Category: Public Health

1.1 COVID-19 Vaccination

1.2 COVID-19 Testing

1.3 COVID-19 Contact Tracing

1.4 Prevention in Congregate Settings (Nursing 

Homes, Prisons/Jails, Dense Work Sites, 

Schools, etc.)

1.5 Personal Protective Equipment

1.6 Medical Expenses (including Alternative Care 

Facilities)

1.7 Capital Investments or Physical Plant Changes 

to Public Facilities that respond to the COVID19 public health emergency

$248,010 $248,010

1.8 Other COVID-19 Public Health Expenses 

(including Communications, Enforcement, 

Isolation/Quarantine)

$42,015 $42,015

1.9 Payroll Costs for Public Health, Safety, and 

Other Public Sector Staff Responding to 

COVID-19

1.10 Mental Health Services

1.11 Substance Use Services

1.12 Other Public Health Services

2 Expenditure Category: Negative Economic 

Impacts

2.1 Household Assistance: Food Programs 

2.2 Household Assistance: Rent, Mortgage, and 

Utility Aid 

2.3 Household Assistance: Cash Transfers 

2.4 Household Assistance: Internet Access 

Programs

2.5 Household Assistance: Eviction Prevention

2.6 Unemployment Benefits or Cash Assistance to 

Unemployed Workers
Harford County, Maryland 2021 Recovery Plan Performance Report 4

Category Cumulative

expenditures to 

date ($)

Amount spent 

since last 

Recovery Plan

2.7 Job Training Assistance (e.g., Sectoral jobtraining, Subsidized Employment, Employment 

Supports or Incentives)

2.8 Contributions to UI Trust Funds*

2.9 Small Business Economic Assistance (General)

2.10 Aid to nonprofit organizations

2.11 Aid to Tourism, Travel, or Hospitality

2.12 Aid to Other Impacted Industries

2.13 Other Economic Support 

2.14 Rehiring Public Sector Staff

3 Expenditure Category: Services to 

Disproportionately Impacted Communities

3.1 Education Assistance: Early Learning 

3.2 Education Assistance: Aid to High-Poverty 

Districts

3.3 Education Assistance: Academic Services 

3.4 Education Assistance: Social, Emotional, and 

Mental Health Services 

3.5 Education Assistance: Other 

3.6 Healthy Childhood Environments: Child Care 

3.7 Healthy Childhood Environments: Home Visiting 

3.8 Healthy Childhood Environments: Services to 

Foster Youth or Families Involved in Child 

Welfare System 

3.9. Healthy Childhood Environments: Other 

3.10 Housing Support: Affordable Housing 

3.11 Housing Support: Services for Unhoused 

persons 

3.12 Housing Support: Other Housing Assistance 

3.13 Social Determinants of Health: Other 

3.14 Social Determinants of Health: Community 

Health Workers or Benefits Navigators 

3.15 Social Determinants of Health: Lead 

Remediation

3.16 Social Determinants of Health: Community 

Violence Interventions 

4 Expenditure Category: Premium Pay

4.1 Public Sector Employees $1,426,901 $1,426,901

4.2 Private Sector: Grants to other employers 

5 Expenditure Category: Infrastructure

5.1 Clean Water: Centralized wastewater treatment

5.2 Clean Water: Centralized wastewater collection 

and conveyance
Harford County, Maryland 2021 Recovery Plan Performance Report 5

Category Cumulative

expenditures to 

date ($)

Amount spent 

since last 

Recovery Plan

5.3 Clean Water: Decentralized wastewater

5.4 Clean Water: Combined sewer overflows

5.5 Clean Water: Other sewer infrastructure

5.6 Clean Water: Stormwater

5.7 Clean Water: Energy conservation

5.8 Clean Water: Water conservation

5.9 Clean Water: Nonpoint source 

5.10 Drinking water: Treatment

5.11 Drinking water: Transmission & distribution

5.12 Drinking water: Transmission & distribution: 

lead remediation

5.13 Drinking water: Source

5.14 Drinking water: Storage 

5.15 Drinking water: Other water infrastructure

5.16 Broadband: “Last Mile” projects

5.17 Broadband: Other projects

6 Expenditure Category: Revenue Replacement

6.1 Provision of Government Services $3,514,490 $3,514,000

7 Administrative and Other

7.1 Administrative Expenses 

7.2 Evaluation and data analysis 

7.3 Transfers to Other Units of Government

7.4 Transfers to Nonentitlement Units 

(States and Territories only)
Harford County, Maryland 2021 Recovery Plan Performance Report 6

Project Inventory 

Premium Pay

$1,426,901

4.1 Public Sector Employees

Harford County used ARPA funds to provide premium pay in the amount of $1,000 to all 

eligible full-time employees and $500 to all eligible part-time employees. Eligibility based on 

being under 150% of the State of Maryland’s average wage of $63,426, which equates to 

$95,000. As Harford County never closed during the pandemic, and all employees were 

required to be on-site (no telework) as of March 1, 2021, any employee meeting the income 

requirement was deemed eligible for ARPA funded premium pay. 1,389 employees 

received ARPA premium pay on July 23, 2021.

HVAC Upgrade/Air Handling Unit Replacement

$248,010

1.7 Capital Investment to Public Facilities to Respond to Covid-19

The air handling units were replaced in the county’s main office building. The new units use 

scroll compressors and variable frequency drives on the blower motors and are generally 

more efficient to meet the energy code. The new units use R410A (environmentally friendly) 

refrigerant compared to the old units which used R-22. 180 county employees work in this 

building, and thousands of individuals visit it throughout the year. 

Vaccine Public Service Announcements 

$42,015

1.8 Other Covid-19 Public Health Expenses 

Production of a vaccine public service announcement (PSA) and July 2021 placements of 

that PSA. This PSA campaign targets young adults who have not been vaccinated, and it is 

scheduled to run until September 20, 2021. The total 11-week campaign is expected to cost 

$144,515 and generate 3.5 million impressions through 295 tv spots and an additional

200,000 digital impressions through web-based placements. 

Performance Report

To Be Determined