City receives first CARES Act reimbursement

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The City of Charleston received a $3.6 million reimbursement from the governor’s office Friday to cover its first round of expenses in connection with the COVID-19 pandemic.

Mayor Amy Shuler Goodwin said the money from the more than $1.2 billion the state received from the federal CARES Act passed by Congress.

“The reimbursement received for March and April helps relieve some of the financial pressures caused by COVID-19,” Goodwin said. “We continue to provide the essential services that our citizens expect and depend on throughout this unprecedented time. Thank you to Governor Jim Justice and his team for expediting reimbursements to cities and counties across West Virginia.”

Justice has been urging cities and counties to submit the costs they’ve incurred to his office. Democratic gubernatorial nominee Ben Salango has criticized Justice accusing him on sitting on the money.

Charleston submitted its CARES Act application on June 2.

“Our team has worked closely with the Governor’s dedicated team to make sure these monies were received without delay,” Charleston City Manager Jonathan Storage said. “This initial reimbursement will help offset the city’s expected budgetary shortfalls and will help move us forward in our COVID-19 response.”

According to a news release, the reimbursement covers costs of payroll expenses for police, fire and refuse workers and expenses for cleaning supplies, personal protective equipment (PPE) and other essential items.