ITHACA, NY (607NewsNow) – The plan for a detox and crisis stabilization center in Tompkins County is being shelved – for now.

On April 21, the Tompkins County Legislature voted to reallocate $1.5 million in COVID-19 era American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding, originally awarded to Cayuga (Centralus) Health for the future project on North Triphammer Road in the Village of Lansing.

The detox and crisis stabilization center was to be in a building formerly owned by the Alcohol and Drug Council, which caused a snag in Centralus’ licensure process due to a bonding issue.

Legislator Deborah Dawson says the county was forced to act due to guidelines associated with the ARPA funding.

“It’s just a timing issue,” said Dawson. “We’re pressed up against the deadline for using the APRA funds, and if we don’t reallocate them, we’ll end up having to send them back to Washington [D.C.].”

However, the ARPA process is too far along to reopen the funds to new projects.

“It is too late, under the terms of ARPA, for us to reallocate them to anything that’s not already allocated, and we cannot, for that reason, reopen the process of assigning them,” added Dawson. “So, I just wanted to assure everyone that we’re not making some unconscionable money grab here.”

The money will be redirected to county projects in the meantime, with the idea that it will eventually find its way back to Centralus.

Dawson adds that the county and Centralus are still committed to the project and hope to implement it once the licensing issue is resolved.

You can watch the full April 21 meeting of the Tompkins County Legislature here.