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Smith County Commissioners approved using federal coronavirus relief funding for water and sewage projects, mental health and public safety vehicles.

Commissioners heard numerous proposals from entities around the county in July about needed water and sewage projects. Of those, three projects were named a priority with one other project to be chosen later.

In all, Smith County is set to spend around $6.7 million on water and sewage projects.

During Tuesday’s meeting, commissioners approved the use of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding on water and sewage projects for Wright City Water Supply, Star Mountain Water Supply Corporation and the City of Lindale.

The Wright City Water Supply project costs around $600,000, which will allow for the purchase of a filter membrane water treatment method.

For a while, Wright City has had a violation due to the high level of trihalomethanes — a pollutant — in its water. The filter membrane will alleviate the problem.

Funding for the Star Mountain Water Supply Corporation will go toward a new water well and water plant. The total cost will be around $1.2 million.

For the City of Lindale, a project will include a new lift station for the business park. This will allow for economic development and an additional 850 acres will be available to add sewer to it. Funding for this project will be around $897,325.

Along with approving funding for these three water and sewage projects, commissioners gave the green light to a fourth project to be brought back to court for approval later.

Through speaking with the East Texas Municipal Utilities Department, a water and sewage project for the City of Winona was chosen as a priority because it would greatly benefit to the citizens and give the “best value for the dollar,” Smith County Judge Nathaniel Moran said.

The City of Winona has been struggling to stay in compliance with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality due to wastewater issues, said ETMUD General Manager Lane Thompson.

A lot of infrastructure has been added in the past, but the “end-all be-all” is a new lids station, Thompson said.

The project design and construction would cost about $3.6 million and entail constructing a lift station on the site of the City of Winona’s old wastewater treatment plant and constructing a force main from there to ETMUD where all water can be treated, he said.

Commissioners will bring this item back during a later meeting to vote on a formal agreement.

It was also approved during the meeting to grant ARPA funding to the Children’s Advocacy Center of Smith County for the renovation of a portion of a facility relating to mental health for those under 18 years. The total cost is $500,000.

Moran said the county set aside around $6 million in ARPA funding to go toward mental health initiatives.

“The purchase and renovation of this facility is arguably the largest project that (the Children’s Advocacy Center) has ever taken on to address minimizing trauma for child abuse for children in Smith County,” said Deanna Sims, chief development officer at Children’s Advocacy Center of Smith County.

The center will be moving from an 8,000-square foot building to a 39,000-square foot building, Sims said.

“Part of minimizing trauma will be giving them not only a safe and secure space, but also a more appropriate space in which to address trauma,” she said.

The ARPA funding from the county will support the renovation of the mental health wing where all therapy services take place, Sims said. While the funding only makes up about 7% of the cost of all the renovations, “that funding is a very important part of that … and it will make a huge difference.”

The usage of $820,000 in ARPA funding to upfit public safety vehicles was also approved.

In May, commissioners used some of the federal funds to purchase 39 public safety vehicles, which all need to be upfitted. Upfitting will include lights, bumpers, IT equipment, radios and more to be added to the vehicles.

It was also approved to use $130,000 in ARPA funding for some renovations to CampV so that the Smith County Veterans Office can completely integrate with the organization. Also approved was $90,000 in funding for the expansion devices to enhance the county’s cyber security.