The La Salle County Board isn’t sure yet how to divvy up federal COVID-19 relief funds, but it at least has a “wish list” started.

Members of the County Board convened Friday to pore over a four-page spreadsheet of proposals for how to allocate some $21 million in federal aid.

Among the proposals are capital improvements for the county offices (new HVAC, a generator for the downtown courthouse) and security upgrades (a body scanner for the Detention Home). The funds can also be used for public health projects, broadband expansion and other pandemic-related projects related to dealing with the pandemic.

Which projects will get the nod? Board Member Joe Oscepinski (D-Peru) said he hopes to know more by the board’s next full meeting March 14. By then, he and other members will have collected feedback from their constituents and added to the wish list.

“Who prioritizes the projects?” Oscepinski said. “That’s still in discussion. It’s a work in progress.”

Board Member Arratta Znaniecki (R-Ottawa) said said she hopes the process will not take long — and the check-cutting will quickly follow once the board gives its approval.

“The way I understand it, at one of our next meetings of the whole, we’re going to prioritize that list,” Znaniecki said.

Member Joe Witczak (D-Peru) asked the public to be patient, not because the board isn’t eager to dole out relief — “We’d like to get it done as quick as we can” — but because the board needs time to weigh many worthy uses.