More businesses see emergency funding from the city in the second week of applications submitted to the Rapid Relief Fund.
(Emma Atkinson, WFIU/WTIU News)
Several topics were discussed at Wednesday night's city council meeting, which began with Mayor John Hamilton announcing that his wife, Dawn Johnsen, is home from the hospital.
“I want to say thank you to the Bloomington community for the encouragement and love expressed to me and our family during the 10 nights I struggled with COVID-19 at the Bloomington Hospital," Johnsen says in a statement read aloud by Mayor Hamilton.
Hamilton announced that his wife tested positive for the coronavirus on Friday, April 10. During that period, Johnsen's mother passed away from coronavirus-related symptoms and she says her brother was hospitalized as well, and is now recovering at his home in Kokomo.
The first wave of funding to local businesses impacted by the coronavirus pandemic has been distributed from the city's Rapid Relief Fund (RRF). The city plans to distribute more than $2 million.
The colors shown above indicate the number of businesses in each step of the application process as follows: Started (Light Blue), Completed (Dark Blue), and In Review (Yellow). (Courtesy: City of Bloomington)
According to a press release from the city, $240,600 has been distributed to seven applicants, and fifteen additional applicants have been selected for awards amounting to another $310,170 for a total of $550,700 in approved funding.
The seven applicants that have received a total of $240,600 from the Food and Beverage Tax Fund are:
Nick's English Hut - $50,000
Back Door Bloomington - $50,000
AEA Design & Apparel - $3,600
Penguin Enterprises LLC (The Chocoloate Moose) - $40,000
B-Town Diner - $32,000
The Atlas Ballroom - $50,000
The Ritz Hair Studio - $15,000
One of the biggest challeneges the RRF faced in the first week was the massive gap between "Started" and "Completed" applications.
Director of the city's Economic and Sustainable Development Alex Crowley says the RRF has made some changes to help that. He says the online application now has a section where businesses can elaborte on how they contribute to the the quality of life and tourism in Bloomington.
Crowley also says they've added a question that will determine which funds businesses are eligible for. The two available funds are the Food and Beverage Tax Fund ($2 million available) and the Bloomington Urban Enterprise Association ($500,000 available).
City Council Passes New Ordinance
The city also passes Ordinance 20-09, which amends Title 2 of the Bloomington Municipal Code under "Administration and Personnel."
The ordinance does three things that will allow the city to act more quickly during the the current coronavirus pandemic:
Allows the city to send employees home with pay as along they're working from home.
Allows the administration to be more flexible in waiving necessary procedures to respond to issues that come up during the crisis.
Permits the city controller to make quick expenditures during any emergency situation that occurs during the crisis.
"This will offer more clarity to any government oversight and gives the opportunity to be more nimble during this state of emergency," councilmember Matt Flaherty says.
