Village of Cherry Valley Board of Trustees met April 21.
Here is the minutes provided by the board:
PRESIDENT JIM E. CLAEYSSEN CALLED THE PUBLIC HEARING TO ORDER AT 6:50 PM.
A roll call was taken by Village Clerk Kathy Trimble:
JIM ALSBURY PRESENT SALLY HOLLEMBEAK PRESENT
NANCY BELT PRESENT JEFF O’HARA PRESENT
JEFF FUSTIN PRESENT DAVID SCHROEDER PRESENT
Also present: Attorney Jim Stevens, Public Works Director Chuck Freeman, Treasurer
Maureen Gumowski and Village Clerk Kathy Trimble.
PUBLIC COMMENT: No one signed up under Public Comment.
NEW BUSINESS:
Public Hearing for the Downstate Small Business Stabilization Grants.
A. Grant Application for Salamone’s Restaurant Inc.
B. Grant Application for The Studio, LLC.
C. Grant Application for Matt’s Baseball Tap, LLC.
D. Grant Application for Eggsclusive Café.
President Claeyssen stated that we will have to recess this meeting until next week. We were originally told by DCEO that we only needed to publish a five (5) day notice in the newspaper notifying the public that this public hearing was taking place but after we sent the notice to the paper, we were informed by DCEO that we needed a seven (7) day notice.
BOARD COMMENTS: None.
RECESS: Trustee Hollembeak made a motion to recess the meeting until April 28,2020 at 6:45PM; seconded by Trustee Belt seconded. All “Aye”, none opposed. Motion carried by voice vote.
THE VILLAGE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF CHERRY VALLEY, ILLINOIS, WINNEBAGO AND BOONE COUNTIES, RECONVENED ON THE 28th DAY OF APRIL, 2020.
PRESIDENT JIM E. CLAEYSSEN RECONVENED THE PUBLIC HEARING BACK TO ORDER AT 6:50 PM.
A roll call was taken by Village Clerk Kathy Trimble:
JIM ALSBURY PRESENT SALLY HOLLEMBEAK PRESENT
NANCY BELT PRESENT JEFF O’HARA ABSENT
JEFF FUSTIN PRESENT DAVID SCHROEDER PRESENT
Also present: Attorney Aaron Szeto, Treasurer Maureen Gumowski, Police Chief Robert Swank and Village Clerk Kathy Trimble.
UNFINISHED BUSINESS: Public Hearing for the Downstate Small Business Stabilization Grants.
A. Grant Application for Salamone’s Restaurant Inc. B. Grant Application for The Studio, LLC.
C. Grant Application for Matt’s Baseball Tap, LLC. D. Grant Application for Eggsclusive Café.
Attorney Aaron Szeto provided background on the grant. This is the Small Business Stabilization Program that is put on by the State of Illinois DCEO, Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). This is traditionally an economic and community development program with an emphasis on helping persons with low-to-moderate income but has been modified in light of the COVID19 pandemic to help small businesses. There some Federal requirements that have to be followed for the grant, for example, HUD required a seven (7) day notice in the newspaper when DCEO had originally thought that a five (5) day notice would be acceptable.
There is a total of Twenty (20) Million Dollars available and each grant recipient can receive a maximum of $25,000 which equals 800 grants awarded throughout the State of Illinois if every applicant receives the maximum amount of $25,000.
Let the record show that Trustee O’Hara entered the meeting at 6:52PM.
The municipality has to be the applicant. We have to work with the business owners and then send the applications to DCEO. The money will come directly to the Village of Cherry Valley and then we will cut the checks to the businesses.
This grant opened up the last Friday in March and the applications will be taken until the money runs out.
The money has to be used for working capital expenses such as employee salaries, rent utilities, etc. The monies are a grant and not a loan but only if the business meets certain obligations. If a business is chosen to receive the grant money and they are closed at the time of receiving the money, they would have to reopen within a year. If a business is currently open, they will have to stay open for another 60 days. If the businesses cannot fulfill their obligations to stay open for 60 days or reopen up within the year, the village would have to pay the money back to DCEO. There is a participation agreement form that is part of the grant paperwork that states the business would have to then pay back the village for the money.
Some other criteria to be eligible for the grant include that the business has to have at least one (1) employee and no more than fifty (50) employees that are paid by W2 and not a 1099.
Attorney Szeto stated at this time we only have two (2) applications instead of four (4). The Eggslusive Café did not turn in any paperwork and Matt’s Baseball Tap did not qualify since they were not in business since January 1, 2017 with the same ownership. Copies of the two applications are and have been available for inspection at Village Hall during normal Village Hall business hours.
Salamone’s Restaurant, Inc is a local family owned restaurant that has negatively impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic. In accordance with the Governor’s Executive Order, they are currently only allowed to do carryout/delivery with no dine-in or bar service. This has significantly hurt their business. The business would use the grant monies to help pay working capital expenses such as employee wages, inventory, utilities, etc. They are requesting the full $25,000 grant amount as their monthly operating expenses as identified in the application package far exceed the requested amount. Grant funds will help to keep employees employed and the business operational until such time as the business is allowed to fully reopen. Keeping the business open benefits the Village and the community as restaurants add to the attractiveness of communities. People are drawn to communities that have thriving restaurants as it provides options and choices to citizens. The sales taxes generated by the business also help to fund the Village coffers which in turns allows for public services to be provided such as road repairs, water/sewer improvements, and parks. If the business were to have to close because of the pandemic, the Village would lose tax revenues which would lead to a decrease in services. Also, there would be a vacant building which is not attractive to the community and negatively affects people wanting to move into the community.
The Studio, LLC is a local theater company that produces plays and musicals that are performed in the community. They have also been negatively impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic as in accordance with the Governor’s Executive Order, they are not allowed to operate at all. This has significantly hurt their business. The business would use the grant monies to help pay working capital expenses such as employee wages, utilities, etc. They are requesting the full $25,000 grant amount as their monthly operating expenses as identified in the application package exceed the requested amount. Grant funds will help to keep employees employed and the business operational until such time as the business is allowed to reopen. Keeping the business open benefits the Village and the community as theaters add to the attractiveness of communities. People are drawn to communities that have entertainment and culture. If the business were to have to close because of the pandemic, there would be a vacant building which is not attractive to the community and negatively affects people wanting to move into the community.
Attorney Szeto passed out a sign-in sheet to be signed by the individuals present at this Public Hearing.
INTRODUCTION OF WRITTEN COMMENTS: There were no Written Comments submitted. PUBLIC COMMENTS: No one signed up for Public Comment as no members of the public were in attendance.
BOARD COMMENTS:
ADJOURNMENT: Trustee Hollembeak made a motion to adjourn the meeting; seconded by Trustee Belt seconded. All “Aye”, none opposed. Meeting adjourned at 7:20 PM.
http://www.cherryvalley.org/images/villiage-board/2020/board%20minutes%20%20reconvene%2004-21-2020%20%20reconvened%20%2004-28-2020%20%20public%20hearing%20-%20downstate%20grant.pdf
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