Richard Dunn

The meeting of the Water and Sewer Infrastructure subcommittee of the Governor's Jobs and Infrastructure Committee included updates on the review process for applications. The committee discussed the rollout of a portal to help organize applications, and members were informed about the number of applications in draft and submitted status across different categories, including water and sewer infrastructure, broadband infrastructure, and negative economic impact. The committee also discussed the expectations for the general application review process, including reading proposals, maintaining confidentiality, and understanding the information requested. The portal will show applications and their status.

The meeting provided informational guidelines and role delineation to the Georgia Jobs and Infrastructure committee. A detailed overview of the origins of the ARPA fund was presented, focusing on broadband infrastructure, water/sewer infrastructure, and negative economic impact, including allowable uses of ARPA state allocated funds. Information was provided regarding eligible entities, application process, grant opportunities within the Georgia Cares Portal, application review, data collection, submission criteria, award considerations, reporting timelines, and federal reporting requirements. The committee discussed eligibility of various organizations, technical assistance for applicants, fund matching requirements, marketing strategies, and scoring criteria.

The strategic plan outlines the agency's mission, vision, and core values, focusing on key objectives and action plans to address critical issues identified through an environmental scan. It includes an analysis of external and internal factors, workforce trends, and financial resources required to achieve measurable outcomes within the specified timeframe.

The meeting covered per diem and mileage reimbursement for committee members, the selection of Jim Woodward as Chair and Jason Ward as Vice Chair, an overview of Senate Bill 49, and a roundtable discussion by the Performance Based Building Coalition on the risk, value, and structure of Public-Private Partnership projects.

The meeting was convened to discuss final thoughts and comments regarding the Public-Private Facilities and Infrastructure Act (PPFIA) draft model guidelines. The committee discussed final edits to the PPFIA draft model guidelines and agreed to distribute the guidelines for public comment through the Association County Commissioners of Georgia (ACCG) and Georgia Municipal Association (GMA). Interested parties would have until the end of May to submit comments.