HomeMy WebLinkAbout3329RESOLUTION NO. 3329
A RESOLUTION of the City Council of the City of
Bremerton, Washington, establishing Bremerton CARES, a small
business relief grant program in response to the novel Coronavirus
(COVID-19) to provide business rental assistance.
WHEREAS, On March 27, 2020, the United States Congress adopted the
Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act ("CARES Act") which, among other
things, amended Section 601(a) of the Social Security Act and established the Coronavirus Relief
Fund into which Congress appropriated $150 billion to make payments for specified uses to
States and certain local governments; and
WHEREAS, The Coronavirus Relief Fund is available to reimburse government
recipients for necessary expenditures incurred due to the COVID49 public health emergency
that were not accounted for in the government recipient's most -recently appropriated budget and
that were incurred during the period between March 1, 2020 and December 30, 2020; and
WHEREAS, Guidance issued by the U.S. Treasury Department indicates that
necessary expenditures incurred due to the COVID49 public health emergency include costs
incurred to support local businesses that suffered losses due to COVID49 business interruptions,
or incurred costs for personal protective equipment or other materials, supplies and equipment
needed to safely operate following a COVID49-related closures and
WHEREAS, the City Council believes a functioning local economy is critical to
protect the health and wellbeing of Bremerton residents, as the failure of small businesses due to
the pandemic will create a serious hardship on owners and individuals employed by those
businesses, and create additional financial burdens on government services by increasing demand
for government support to individuals who are unemployed coupled with a substantial decrease
in revenue for the City due to the pandemic; and
WHEREAS, the City Council desires to establish Bremerton CARES, a Small
Business Relief Grant Program, the focus of which is to provide short-term economic stability
via monetary grants to qualifying businesses located within City limits for business rental
assistance; and
WHEREAS, the City Council finds that this program will serve a governmental
purpose by wherein in exchange for cash allocations, qualified small businesses will be able to
re -open and provide the City's residents with jobs, services and/or goods, and public services via
tax revenue; and
WHEREAS, the City Council has directed staff to build a program and utilize
general funds for this program, and seek reimbursement from the CARES program; and
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Small Business Relief Grant Program
WHEREAS, the City has limited resources, including limited available personnel,
to administer the Program, and desires to partner with a qualified service provider capable of
serving as grant administrator, selected due to its unique qualifications for the performance of
this service during this declared state of emergency; and
WHEREAS, the City has developed the grant program and eligibility
requirements, based on the requirements for use of funds established by the Washington
Department of Commerce, the administrator for the CARES Act funding allocated to the City;
and
WHEREAS, the City shall allocate no more than $255,000 of CARES ACT
Funding for this program, with a maximum of $5,000 allocated to a service provider for the
administration of the program and $250,000 for the relief grants to small businesses; NOW
THEREFORE,
THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF BREMERTON, WASHINGTON,
DOES HEREBY RESOLVE AS FOLLOWS:
SECTIDNI. The City Council
Findings of Fact in support of this Resolution.
hereby adopts the recitals expressed above as
SECTION2. The City Council hereby establishes the Bremerton Cares, Small
Business Grant Relief Program, and allocates City general funding in the amount of $255,000 to
be utilized for economic recovery response to the impacts resulting from the COVID49
pandemic. The City Council specifically directs that the $250,000 be disseminated pursuant to
the program criteria attached hereto as Exhibit A. Final selection of the grant recipients shall be
determined by the Mayor or designee, based on the parameters set forth in Exhibit A.
SECTION3. The City Council authorizes the Mayor to adopt any necessary
administrative processes to implement this Resolution and attached policy set forth in Exhibit A,
in compliance with the provisions of state law.
SECTION 4. Severability. If any one or more sections, subsections, or
sentences of this Resolution are held to be unconstitutional or invalid, such decision shall not
affect the validity of the remaining portion of this Resolution and the same shall remain in full
force and effect.
SECTIONS. Effective Date. This Resolution shall take effect and be in force
immediately upon its passage.
PASSED by the City Council
day of , 2020.
of the City of Bremerton, Washington this &+Vl
Small Business Relief Grant Program
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
E aC YOtAGER, Council President
ATTEST:
R:U.egal\Legal\Resolutions\Finance\Small Business Relief Grant Program 7-17-2020 - Final.doc
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Small Business Relief Grant Program
Exhibit A
City of Bremerton
Bremerton Cares Small Business Relief Grant Program
Purpose
The City of Bremerton Small Business Relief and Recovery Grant Program is intended to ensure
the economic health of the City of Bremerton, and thereby improve the public health and welfare
for Bremerton's residents. The grant funded allocated hereunder is designed to help small
businesses keep their doors open, protect local jobs threatened by the COVID49 pandemic,
support community recovery, and increase the resiliency of local businesses in our community.
Through the program, eligible small businesses operating in the City of Bremerton have the
opportunity to apply for cash assistance to help with rent and to mitigate the impacts of revenue
reductions associated with COVID-19. The City anticipates awarding eligible small businesses
with a one-time cash grant of up to $5,000 based on justifiable need and business resiliency.
Administration of Program
The City shall supply the cash grants to qualifying small businesses, consistent with the criteria
herein. Due to the City's limited personnel, to effectuate this policy, the City may enter into a
services agreement with a qualified non-profit organization to facilitate the timely and effective
dissemination of these funds to businesses.
Criteria for Grant Funding:
To be eligible for grant funding, a small business must meet the following criteria:
• Must have a Bremerton business license
• Have a physical location in the City of Bremerton on or before March 1, 2020
• Have no more than 15 full-time equivalents.
• Engage in a type of business eligible to receive funding by the US Small Business
Administration
• Ability to demonstrate loss of revenue due to COVID-19 (Priority given to businesses
that were required to close due to the Governor's order)
• Your business has reopened prior to the date of the application
• If you answer yes to all of the above your business may qualify
Permitted Use of Grant Funding:
• Payment of business leasehold rents. Up to 6 months of rent from April thru September
2020 up to $5,000
L!
Small Business Relief Grunt Program
Not Permitted Uses for Grant Funding:
• Wages, bonuses or draws by you as the owner. (These expenses were eligible under the
PPP loans)
• Operating expenses other than rent
• Businesses that received previous funding under the Working Washington Small
Business Emergency Grant program or other local grants
• Not eligible for months that landlord provided rent relief
• Mortgage payments on owner occupied buildings
• Landlord must not have any ownership in business
• No homebased businesses
Required Documentation From Applicants:
• Application — As administered by the non-profit, all businesses seeking funding shall
submit an application demonstrating that the business meets the above criteria.
• Evidence of Lease or Declaration from Landlord evidencing lease
• Documentation related to real estate holding company may be required
Awards will be made to qualified small businesses applicants, through the execution of an
Agreement between the grant recipient and the City. Awarded small businesses may be, through
the Agreement, required to report on expenditures and outcomes through a one-time end of
program report.
Small Business Relief Grant Program