Economic Vitality Committee Agenda and Packet 2020 12 18

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SUBJECT: BUSINESS PANDEMIC SUPPORT RECOMMENDATIONS DATE: DECEMBER 18, 2020 PAGE 6 OF 9 those most restricted and in need, staff recommends that one of the certifications is that the business has experienced financial hardship due to the pandemic. As reference, the financial assistance from 11132013-1001 is limited to businesses that have experienced at least a 20% loss. An eligibility factor that has not been considered before is whether the applicant has received prior City funding. Attachment #3 presents the recipients of both City grant programs to -date. With the business types reviewed earlier, there would be a significant amount of overlap in the targets of this potential grant program. The EVC should consider how prior grant recipients should be considered in the process for funding, especially in the case that there may not be sufficient funding for all those that apply and are eligible. If there is consensus from the EVC on a grant program, staff will prepare the item for Council consideration on January 5. In addition, staff would share the EVC outcomes with the LRC to gauge their interest in program participation. The next regular LRC meeting is Wednesday, January 13. Staff would continue to work on development of the application and promotional materials between EVC and City Council, so that the program could be advertised and opened as soon as possible —such as immediately following the LRC meeting. Because of the amount of concern businesses have in the short-term, staff suggests that the outcomes of this EVC meeting also be shared with the business community, so that they can anticipate the assistance that may become available in January. A second recommendation is for Council to take action that follows the recent legislation waiving fees on eligible liquor licensees. SB20B-001 provided that license fees, application fees, renewal fees, and COVID-19 modification fees for the State Licensing Authority be waived for eligible licensees between December 7, 2020 and December 7, 2021. The City could act to provide the same waiver, which would assist restaurant and hotel license holders; the waiver does not apply to retailers who sell alcohol. Following the information that has been shared from the Liquor Enforcement Division, it would cost the City $6,129 in anticipated 2021 revenue to waive renewals on 51 licenses. If the EVC agrees with this course of action, it can be brought forward to City Council to consider the appropriate timeframe and approval of the waiver. A third priority program that could be considered is a COVID supply program. Boulder County launched its "Small Business PPE, Cleaning Supplies, and To -Go Food Container Assistance Program" on December 9. As of December 11, the program had received over 400 applications. The package provides up to $500 of supplies including masks, gloves, hand sanitizer, wipes, and to -go containers. Boulder County is reviewing the applications for approval and then orders are placed with a vendor to create the supply packages for businesses. County staff noted they hope to be able to fulfill about 600-650 applicant requests. Agenda Packet P. 11