The Union County Quorum Court appropriated the final funds needed to pay out a COVID-19 vaccine incentive for county employees last month, with more than half of county workers having gotten the shot.
During their regular meeting on April 21, present Justices of the Peace voted unanimously to appropriate $13,085.42 from the county's American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) fund, where federal COVID-19 relief dollars are kept, to pay out bonuses awarded in 2022.
In November, JPs agreed to provide bonuses of $635.26 to employees who verified they'd gotten the COVID-19 vaccine. Workers had until April 1 to get the vaccine.
Appropriations of $75,000 and $18,065.51 were approved in November and December, respectively, to pay out the first batches of bonuses distributed to workers. Those funds were also taken out of federal COVID relief.
The cost of the bonuses totaled $106,150.93.
Jody Cunningham, administrative assistant to the county judge, said 139 Union County employees were vaccinated and received incentive bonuses. Out of approximately 213 employees altogether, that's about 65% of county workers who got the vaccine, higher than the percentage of Union County and Arkansas residents who have gotten the shot.
"We can always come back and do it again sometime, but for now, this will complete our commitment to the employees," said District 1 JP Mike Dumas, who chairs the Quorum Court's Finance Committee.