GREENFIELD — As Mayor Ginny Desorgher mulls whether to allocate the remaining $400,000 of the $1,035,000 in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) money that the former mayor promised to Greenfield Community Energy and Technology (GCET), the internet provider is making its case for the funding, citing progress at its North Build.

The city has paused the distribution of ARPA funds to GCET for roughly two months as city officials sought greater transparency on the internet provider’s use of funding. GCET is currently using ARPA appropriations for its North Build, a project that aims to bring service to the Bernardston Road, Colrain Road, Meadow Lane and Green River Road areas as well as the area of Leyden and Country Club roads.

GCET General Manager John Lunt said that of the remaining ARPA funds, which were promised to GCET by former Mayor Roxann Wedegartner, roughly $91,000 is for the North Build and $321,000 is for “make-ready” costs, or the modification or replacement of a utility pole, or of lines or equipment on the utility pole, to accommodate additional facilities. Lunt said GCET has already spent roughly $500,000 to purchase fiber-optic cables and install a local convergence point (LCP) building on Severance Street.

“We have talked for a while now about what we need, to be able to spend our money that’s been allocated to us, to make the connections that we need to make the North Build happen,” Lunt said. “We need to install and configure equipment, but all of that equipment has been purchased with ARPA, and it’s all sitting and waiting until we can get this last bit of money released to us from the grant administrator, who is the mayor.”

Lunt also noted that GCET prepared a roughly 500-page binder documenting its expenses, adding that everything the service provider buys is processed through the city’s accounting and procurement offices. He said the ability for the buildout to move forward will ultimately depend on GCET’s receipt of the remaining ARPA funds.

“I just want to be clear — every bit of money GCET has spent has been accounted for, paid through the city, audited by the city every year and reviewed by the Department of Revenue,” Lunt said. “If there’s any question that anybody has about how money’s been spent, it’s all public. It’s all out in the open so people can see … we were allocated this money years ago.”

Desorgher met with Lunt and other GCET officials Friday in an effort to better understand the challenges associated with the North Build. She said she hopes to host future meetings with GCET and Finance Director Stella Chan.

In an interview Monday, Desorgher said she asked GCET “very specific questions” about the North Build in response to numerous questions from her constituents about the project’s timeline.

“GCET provides a wonderful service to the city and the North Build is something people have been waiting for. … The people living in that area will be thrilled when that service gets out there and so will I,” Desorgher said. “I have a plan to approve ARPA funding for the hanging of fiber [cables] in the north end.”

Anthony Cammalleri can be reached at acammalleri@recorder.com or 413-930-4429.