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HomeMy WebLinkAbout06-16-2020 Public Hearing for Downstate Business Stabilization Program Minutes of the Public Hearing City of Canton,Fulton County,Illinois June 16,2020 4:30pm The Public Hearing was called to order by Mayor Kent McDowell at 4:30pm and held 235 West Walnut Street, Canton Illinois via zoom regarding a public hearing regarding the downstate small business stabilization application funded by community development block grant funds. Applications were made available at Cantonillinois.org Mayor:This public hearing regarding the State of Illinois' Downstate Business Stabilization Program is called to order. Before we begin, I would ask that all individuals present please mute their phones or devices until it is time to speak. Mayor.This public hearing is to provide interested parties an opportunity to express their views on the proposed Downstate Small Business Stabilization applications funded by Community Development Block Grant funds. Mayor: A requirement of Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity is that the attendance of this meeting be documented. Because some in attendance today are attending remotely via Zoom, it may be a little challenging since we cannot see some of you and you may not be able to see us. Please momentarily unmute your phones and provide your name and address for the record as well as tell us if you are an elected official,business applicant or member of the public. I will ask our City Clerk, Ms. Diana Pavley-Rock, to repeat the name and address of attendees as she takes attendance ROLL CALL Ryan Mayhew-Elected Alderman Ward 1 1470 East Sycamore Street, Canton IL 61520 Quin Mayhew- Elected Alderman Ward 3 387 West Walnut Street, Canton IL 61520 John Lovell-Elected Alderman Ward 4 1216 East Elm Street, Canton 11 61520 Jeff Fritz-Elected Alderman Ward 2 45 Banyan Drive Canton IL 61520 Justin Nelson- Elected Alderman Ward 3 354 West Chestnut Street, Canton IL 61520 Beka Schultz- City Comptroller 1433 Santa Fe Road Washington II Diana Pavley Rock,Elected City Clerk 1760 North Main Canton IL 61520 Kent McDowell-Elected Mayor 125 Park Plaza Court Canton IL 61520 Chris Jump-City Attorney 592 Westwood Blvd Canton IL 61520 Cole McDaniel- Executive Director of the Spoon River Partnership for Economic Development 630 North Promenade Street, Havana IL 62644 Carla Bobell-Director of Chamber of Commerce Westwood Blvd, Canton 1161520 Crystal Wilkinson-Elected City Treasurer 566 Cass Place, Canton Il 61520 Mayor: Thank you all for your attendance at this hearing is to provide interested parties, including the public, an opportunity to express their views on the proposed Downstate Small Business Stabilization applications funded by Community Development Block Grant funds. First,we wish to obtain citizens' opinions, suggestions and priorities regarding this program. The City of Canton also wishes to provide you with required program information and information regarding the related applications. Mayor: Before we begin going through the applications, I would ask if there is any public comment. We will allow further opportunity for public comment for each business and at the end. Is there any public comment before we begin? No comment made Is there any public comment before we begin? No comment made Is there any public comment before we begin? No comment made APPLICATIONS: Mayor:Section 104(b)(3) of the Housing and Community Development Act outlines national objectives for the Community Development Block Grant program. The program has three main objectives:to benefit low- and moderate persons; to prevent or eliminate.slums and blight; and meeting community development needs having a particular urgency, sometimes called "urgent need." The program further outlines certain eligible and ineligible uses of funds. For the Downstate Business Stabilization Program,funds are restricted to working capital costs by for- profit businesses. Mayor. In order for the Downstate Business Stabilization Grant to be an eligible use of these federal funds, it must meet one of the national objectives I just mentioned. In this case,the program meets the Urgent Need criteria as it is a response to the coronavirus pandemic. The State of Illinois has repurposed $20 million of these federal funds into this program and will allocate grants of up to $25,000 to assist businesses impacted by the pandemic throughout the state so long as they are in non-entitlement communities. If the grants are approved,the grant funds will initially be given to the City of Canton, prior to being disbursed to the business. Mayor.The program must adhere to other federal requirements. None of the funds used will result in the involuntary displacement of people or businesses. Records regarding the project will be available to the public in the same manner as other documents kept by the City. Applications for assistance are available for public view at the office of the City Clerk during business hours (9am-5pm) (located at 2 N. Main Street, Canton, IL 61520), online at Cantonlllinois.org, and at the Canton Area Chamber of Commerce Office (located at 209 E. Chestnut,,Canton, IL, 61520). Mayor: I will now begin going through each of the applications. The total amount of the Community Development Block Grant Funds being requested pursuant to these applications is$66,000.00. 1 apologize in advance, as some of this will be repetitive. 1) BRANDON'S BARGAIN BARN, LTD. There is a total amount of$20 million dollars available under this program. The amount requested by Brandon's Bargain Barn, LTD. is $25,000.00 to be used for working capital. It is important to also note the other community development and housing needs of the City of Canton. We have developed a list of priorities which should help us focus our work. First, we should assist small businesses throughout the City of Canton that have been negatively impacted by this pandemic. Next, we should improve resources to help those same businesses, as well as our residents. We should also assist wherever possible individuals access to social, financial and government services and other resources to recover from this crisis. We should develop a plan for the City of Canton and the larger region to build economic resiliency so that our businesses and citizens can withstand crises like this. The scope of this project is to assist our small businesses in Canton as much as we can. The Amount Requested for this business, again, is $25,000.00. In total, the City of Canton is applying for $66,000.00 worth of the CDBG Funds for the Illinois Downstate Small Business Stabilization Program. These funds will be used for working capital for this business, which is facing an urgent need, due to the CORONAVIRUS pandemic and the economic effects caused thereby. Hopefully, these funds will assist not only this business and the residents of the City of Canton, but also the general economy of the City of Canton. Is there any further public comment regarding the application pertaining to Brandon's Bargain Barn, LTD.? No Comment 2) FAMILY CHIROPRACTIC HEALTH AND NUTRITION There is a total amount of$20 million dollars available under this program. The amount requested by Family Chiropractic Health and Nutrition is $16,000.00 to be used for working capital. It is important to also note the other community development and housing needs of the City of Canton. We have developed a list of priorities which should help us focus our work. First, we should assist small.businesses throughout the City of Canton that have been negatively impacted by this pandemic. Next, we should improve resources to help those same businesses, as well as our residents. We should also assist wherever possible individuals access to social, financial and government services and other resources to recover from this crisis. We should develop a plan for the City of Canton and the larger region to build economic resiliency so that our businesses and citizens can withstand 0 crises like this. The scope of this project is to assist our small businesses in Canton as much as we can. The Amount Requested for this business, again, is $16,000.00. In total, the City of Canton is applying for $66,000.00 worth of the CDBG Funds for the Illinois Downstate Small Business Stabilization Program. These funds will be used for working capital for this business, which is facing an urgent need, due to the CORONAVIRUS pandemic and the economic effects caused thereby. Hopefully, these funds will assist not only this business and the residents of the City of Canton, but also the general economy of the City of Canton. Is there any further public comment regarding the application pertaining to Family Chiropractic Health and Nutrition? No comment 3) OFFICIAL TIME OUT There is a total amount of$20 million dollars available under this program. The amount requested by Official Time Out is $25,000.00 to be used for working capital. It is important to also note the other community development and housing needs of the City of Canton. We have developed a list of priorities which should help us focus our work. First, we should assist small businesses throughout the City of Canton that have been negatively impacted by this pandemic. Next, we should improve resources to help those same businesses, as well as our residents. We should also assist wherever possible individuals access to social, financial and government services and other resources to recover from this crisis. We should develop a plan for the City of Canton and the larger region to build economic resiliency so that our businesses and citizens can withstand crises like this. The scope of this project is to assist our small businesses in Canton as much as we can. The Amount Requested for this business, again, is $25,000.00. In total, the City of Canton is applying for $66,000.00 worth of the CDBG Funds for the Illinois Downstate Small Business Stabilization Program. These funds will be used for working capital for this business, which is facing an urgent need, due to the CORONAVIRUS pandemic and the economic effects caused thereby. Hopefully, these funds will assist not only this business and the residents of the City of Canton, but also the general economy of the City of Canton. Is there any further public comment regarding the application pertaining to Official Time Out? No comment Mayor McDowell and Executive Director of the Spoon River Partnership for Economic Development Cole McDaniel explained that Attorney Chris Jump has no financial interest in the business or it's operations for Official Time Out. This was also clarified by Wendy Bell and the Department for Commerce and Economic Opportunity. Since Chris Jump is not an elected official the conflict does not exist. Attorney Jump said he wanted to clarify for the record that this round the City is requesting $66,000.00 but the overall total that the City has applied for is as follows: Round 1 $243,000.00 Round 2 $158,280.00 Round 3 $66,000.00 Total $467,280.00 Clarification was also made for Brandon's Bargain Barn LTD is separate from Billy's Furniture. Brandon's Bargain Barn LTD is actually operating Skateland. Because of what is on their official certificate with the state they have to put Brandon's Bargain Barn LTD. Mayor McDowell asked if anyone had any questions. PUBLIC COMMENT Mayor: I would now invite any members of our audience to comment on any of the matters discussed in this hearing. Again, as this is a conference call we would ask you to be patient as we try to hear from everyone who might have a comment. Please unmute your phone, state your name for the record and make your comment. Is there any public comment? No comment made Is there any further public comment? No comment made Is there any further public comment. No comment made ADJOURNMENT Mayor.Thank you all for your attendance at this hearing, which is now adjourned. Diana Pavley Rock, City Clerk