BENTONVILLE -- Bryan Beeson knows any product that contains one key word likely can't be found during the covid-19 outbreak.
"If it has the word 'disinfectant' on it, you can't get it," said Beeson, Benton County's facilities manager.
Benton County so far has spent $67,945 on items and equipment related to covid-19, according to county documents.
County Judge Barry Moehring updates the Quorum Court twice a week on how money is being spent. Moehring declared a state of emergency last month. A spreadsheet lists covid-19 expenditures. Most are labeled "disaster relief" or "janitorial supplies." Items purchased include N95 masks, disposable gloves, hand sanitizer and cleaning chemicals.
Justice of the Peace Tom Allen said he's pleased with the process that has been set up to show expenditures for covid-19-related needs. It is not ideal, but workable, he said.
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"I don't think the amount spent so far is too alarming, but it is early in this event," Allen said.
"I am mindful, and I will not be surprised if some supplies will be harder to get or they will be slower to receive in the future as we continue to hear about manufacturing facilities altering production shifts to accommodate social distancing and reacting to possible positive cases in the workplace," he said. "Not to mention, demand for certain necessities will be more than the supply. But I don't see it as critical at this point."
Fayetteville has spent about $26,000 on covid-19-related items and equipment, said Paul Becker, city chief financial officer.
Ashley Earhart with the city of Springdale said total expenditures are $10,394 for the police and fire departments. The city is tracking costs in hopes of grant reimbursement from the Federal Emergency Management Agency or Arkansas Department of Emergency Management, she said.
Hanna Lairy, Rogers public relations manager, said the city has spent $7,590 on covid-19 supplies and equipment.
Bentonville hasn't yet totaled any expenses related to the virus, a city official said.
"Our departments are tracking this information as we move through this situation but will not have any totals for quite some time," said Debbie Griffin, community relations and economic development director.
Washington County did not respond to requests for spending information.
Covid-19 supplies are more than hand sanitizer, wipes and masks. Rogers' expenses show money spent to activate two Zoom accounts to facilitate video teleconferences and a webcam, microphone and configured large screen flip monitor with video/audio for video teleconferencing.
Benton County also has purchased $64,605 in video equipment for the courts system. That equipment will be used after the covid-19 outbreak ends, so it is totaled separately from the cleaning supplies.
Benton County was able to stockpile some items early in March, but cleaning and disinfectant items are hard to get from vendors the county uses, Beeson said. He has bought cleaning items from Walmart, and the county also ordered some needed items off the Office Depot website.
"Things are still trickling in, but not near in the amount we have requested," Beeson said.
Benton County in February purchased a Clorox360 fogging machine that can be used to clean large areas. The fogger was used to sanitize the first-floor lobby, stairwells, elevator, third-floor lobby and the Quorum Court room before a Quorum Court special meeting March 23, the last public meeting the county has had, Beeson said.
The county was able to buy two cases of the treatment solution the fogger uses, but that supply is dwindling, Beeson said. There is about four gallons left. One gallon can treat about 8,000 square feet, he said.
Beeson ordered two more fogger machines and the jail also ordered one, but those orders are backlogged, he said.
County buildings are closed to the public, but staff are still in them, and that means cleaning on a smaller scale still happens, Beeson said. The county's 911 operations are in the basement of the County Administration Building in downtown Bentonville. That area gets fogged twice a week because of the number of employees who are located there.
Metro on 04/06/2020