TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTWO/WAWV) – We’re another step closer to learning how the City of Terre Haute will spend its federal ARPA funds.

Mayor Duke Bennett addressed the Terre Haute City Council during his communications to the council at the beginning of its meeting on Thursday.

Bennett said that he’s working with various groups to work through the fine details of how the money will be spent. Last month, the Mayor presented a general plan of the different avenues such housing and small business support that he’d like to see the money spent on.

Now, those specifics of where the money goes are being discussed.

A special meeting between Bennett and the council will take place on May 22nd to discuss those details.

“It’s a very complicated process, a very detailed process,” Bennett said. “The federal rules to spend that money are very strict, you can only spend it on certain things and you have to track it a few years to make sure that the impacts are there.”

City Council President Curtis DeBaun IV said that the city has nearly $36 million in ARPA funding. He ensures that city leaders will be cautious as they make big decisions that impact the city.

“We’ve got to be careful, we’ve got to be cautious,” DeBaun said. “We’ve got to get this right and I think we’re going to.”

The meeting on May 22nd at 5:00 p.m. at city hall will be available to the public. However, there will not be public comment. DeBaun said that the plan is to schedule a meeting for public comment after this meeting.

The Terre Haute City Council also approved an appropriation that would allow the Terre Haute Police Department to purchase two new police vehicles and some radio equipment.

The department is close to replacing many of its older vehicles, which would reduce the cost of maintenance because of those older vehicles.