We’re nearly six months into the coronavirus pandemic — what has it cost Bellingham?
Responding to the new coronavirus pandemic has cost Bellingham approximately $2.1 million so far, officials said Monday.
Finance Director Andy Asbjornson said Monday that much of that money will be reimbursed under the federal CARES Act, which has also helped businesses, child-care providers and offered aid with food insecurity and housing for homeless people.
In a presentation to the City Council’s Finance and Economic Development Committee, Asbjornson said about half the spending was on salaries and benefits for city employees, including $552,000 for those who were assigned to the Office of Emergency Management or Whatcom Unified Command — such as librarians who worked in logistics during the pandemic’s early months.
Asbjornson said city officials tracked pandemic spending with an eye toward having documentation for reimbursement.
Funds must be spent by Oct. 1 to be eligible for CARES Act money, but Asbjornson said he was hopeful that the deadline would be extended through the end of 2020.
“It gives us a larger window of time to have expenses and be reimbursed for that process, Asbjornson said.
Other costly spending included $378,000 for computers, software and other expenses that allowed employees to work from home, and $350,000 for personal protective equipment and supplies.
It has been nearly six months since Whatcom County reported its first confirmed COVID-19 case on March 10.
