Council OKs relief funds for businesses affected by latest state shutdown order
By JIM BROOKS
Nelson County Gazette / WBRT Radio
Tuesday, Dec. 15, 2020 — The Bardstown City Council met in a special meeting Tuesday to approve a third phase of COVID relief targeting the businesses that were subject to Gov. Andy Beshear’s latest shutdown order.
The list includes bars, restaurants, gyms, fitness centers and any other business shut down or affected by the governor’s executive order issued on Nov. 18, 2020.
The governor allowed those restrictions to expire at midnight, Dec. 13, 2020, and those businesses can return to the level of operation allowed before the Nov. 18th shutdown order.
Mayor Dick Heaton said the city found that it can obtain an additional $298,325 in CARES ACT funding, and by using those funds to cover the city’s COVID-related costs, it can free up money in the city budget to create a third relief fund that can provide grants of up to $3,000 for the 20 to 30 city businesses expected to be eligible for the program.
In addition to the earlier eligibility requirements, the businesses must be located in the city limits and have been open at by Nov. 1st.
Applications for the new relief program will be available Wednesday on the city’s website, and the grants will be awarded in early January, Heaton explained.
OTHER COVID RELIEF. Heaton noted that the Lincoln Trail ADD District is offering revolving loans for working capital for all small businesses in the six-county Lincoln Trail district. The funding can be used for utilities, payroll, and other uses by businesses who were affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Loans will range from $5,000 to $25,000, and the loan term is 36 months with six months deferral from the date of the loan closure. The low-interest loans have rates of 0.5 to 2.44 percent.
To find out more about the Lincoln Trail ADD funding, visit the website, https://ltadd.org/rlf-covid-19-business-relief-program/
FOOD PANTRY ASSISTANCE. Heaton told the council that while the city cannot provide financial help to individual city residents, the city can provide funding to help agencies that are meeting the critical needs of individuals and families still impacted by the COVID pandemic.
The St. Vincent Food for Life Food Pantry has been providing food to 1,000 to 1,100 families a month, and the organization’s leaders expect those numbers to increase upward to 1,500 families in need of food.
The council unanimously approved donating $5,000 to the food pantry from its community development grant program.
NEXT UP. The Bardstown City Council next meets at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 22. 2020.
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