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On Tuesday many small rural counties felt they were being discriminated against because the state was withholding federal pandemic funds that nearby big counties were already spending.

Late Wednesday, the state notified Chris Doolin and the Small County Coalition that it was releasing part of the $1.2 billion.

“These are a game changer. They will be used for community relief in our small and rural counties. They experienced job losses. These businesses have experienced impacts related to closures. So, yes, we worked pretty hard for 75 days to get what Congress intended to have happen when they adopted the CARES Act back at the end of March,” said Doolin.

Under the initial state plan, 25 percent of the $1.2 billion would be distributed, but the counties are still negotiating the details, including how much they will initially receive.