By DREW LAWSON
Staff Reporter 

Medical Lake council OKs CARES funding allocation

 

Last updated 8/27/2020 at 11:34am



MEDICAL LAKE — The city received $150,500 of funding via the federal CARES act. Now, it must decide how to allocate those funds. Council heard a discussion with city administrator Doug Ross and mayor Shirley Maike on such a topic at its Aug. 18 meeting before carrying their proposal for fund divvying.

Ross explained that the city can’t use CARES funding to replace lost revenue. However, it can use funds for cleaning supplies, additional staff time due to COVID-19, cleaning the lift station, food security, utility bills and residents’ rent and mortgage assistance.

The carried proposal allocates $100,000 for small business grants, $30,500 for resident’s outstanding utility bills, $17,279.64 to the city for PPE purchases, cleaning supplies and other COVID-19 related expenses and $2,720.36 to the West Plains Chamber of Commerce for the city’s share of goods and services provided by the Chamber to local businesses.

Small businesses aren’t eligible for CARES funding if they’ve previously received PPE loans or other state or federal funding. Ross said he believed only one local business received a PPE loan. He added that the city will likely partner with the Chamber to help divvy out the $100,000 set aside for small businesses that have applied.

Businesses wouldn’t have to be a member of the Chamber to apply. Ross said he wants to go door-to-door to businesses and hand out notices about how to apply for funding.

Ross also shared that while businesses can’t replace lost revenue with CARES funding, the Department of Commerce is allowing blanket grants to small businesses and nonprofits.

“Instead of a business coming to us and saying ‘I lost $5,431 in revenue,’ I would propose that we offer these small business grants,” Ross told council. “It may not cover all that, but…they can then turn around and use (grants) however they choose to use it.”

The city has until Oct. 31 to dole out CARES funding.

Ross shared that the city is ahead in sales tax revenue per the end of July compared to 2019 by about $15,000-16,000. Gas tax revenue is behind by a small margin, but Ross noted the city doesn’t usually get much revenue from gas anyway.

He added that he’s curious to see the sales tax figure for August when the month concludes, because August 2019 was a big month for revenue. August 2019 generated $55,000, compared to a monthly average of $35,000, according to Ross.

Maike also encouraged council to continue encouraging residents to complete the census. Thus far, the city is at 59% completion rate, which is down from 2010. Ross added that completion of the census is vital for taxes and state tax income, most of which are per capita based on population.

Ross also discussed the situation at the waterfront. The city tried closing the parking lot gate in July, which only lasted a day and a half.

“It became dangerous, because so many people were parking on (Highway) 902,” Ross said. “The deputy wasn’t really comfortable with writing 60 parking tickets.”

Instead, the city had a maintenance employee work overtime on Saturdays and Sundays, which Ross said has helped limit vehicle traffic and direct it to the north side of the lake.

Fire District 3 Chief Cody Rohrbach shared that the district was assisting with fires in Okanogan County, Badger Lake and Williams Lake with “pretty good outcomes but a heavy resource commitment.”

He added that Medical Lake is seeing an increase in COVID-19 cases, but they are mostly clustered at an undisclosed location.

Maike also acknowledged a letter received from the Washington City/County Management Association, which recognized Ross for his professionalism and efficiency during the pandemic.

Council also set its budget workshop for Sept. 8 at 6 p.m.

Drew Lawson can be reached at drew@cheneyfreepress.com.

 

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