During their Oct. 22 session, the Chaffee Board of County Commissioners (BoCC) approved $150,000 in funds to replenish and expand the Coronavirus Relief Fund program to support more Chaffee small businesses dealing with the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The funding is added to the already allocated nonprofit relief dollars administered by the Chaffee County Community Foundation (CCCF). Criteria for the use of these funds are open to and meant to serve any Chaffee small business who has faced a loss of revenue or increased expense related to COVID-19.
The decision was made over the course of a couple of meetings, in which the county reviewed the use of the funds it had received from the federal CARES Act.
“The county’s share of the Cares Act funds was $892,360,” said Director of General Administration Bob Christiansen during conversations that preceded the BoCC’s unanimous funding decision. “The remaining balance at this point is $562,332.
That amount includes the previously earmarked funds for the now-cancelled Abbott Labs COVID-19 testing machines and tests because Abbott Labs couldn’t deliver on the contract. (The county has secured a ready supply of curative test kits from the State of Colorado).
“Our current obligations against that remaining amount are a couple hundred thousand, including additional payroll and additional PPE,” said Christiansen. “We’ve got some funds. Yes, some of the other municipalities have developed offerings to help small businesses, but we could too.”
Matt Juba and his children, Opal and Truman, participated in the 2019 Hill Climb. As COVID-19 cases keep popping up in the area schools, working parents are in a crunch as to how to both support safe learning environments for their children during quarantines, but also ensure they get the opportunity for safe outdoor activity.
“There is this reality of ‘how do I keep my employees working’,” said Commissioner Greg Felt. “Most that need true childcare have that set up, but what about in times of quarantine [when] elementary school kids need care that they might not be set up to meet?”
“The availability for childcare in the state is down about 40 percent right now,” commented Commissioner Keith Baker. “There is a clear need.”
In the end, Commissioners decided on the $150,00 maximum funding amount for small business grants now. They agreed that with unknowns ahead, it was wise to “hold some back for public health just in case … there are essential needs.”
The commissioners decided to allocate the funding to support the county’s small businesses through the Chaffee County Community Foundation, which has administered its earlier funding allocations. Among the areas in need of funding, commissioners discussed not just retail businesses, but support for service businesses and the critical shortage in the county for working parents.
When schools go into quarantine or isolation due to exposure to COVID-19, that pulls working parents out of small businesses and jobs, if there is no safe place for students to go to continue learning and activities.
With this decision, funds will be prioritized by businesses that have a brick and mortar location subject to a 50 percent occupancy restriction from public health. But all small businesses operating in compliance with public health guidelines are encouraged to apply.
The commissioners discussed doing a smaller allocation now, and planning to do repeat allocations, but in the end decided to do a large one to create a more stable fund mechanism as cases of COVID-19 continue to occur in the county.
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