Submitted By
Tammie Grossman, Director, Development Customer Services
Reviewed By
AMZ
Agenda Item Title
Title
A Resolution Authorizing the Creation of an Oak Park Vaccination Requirement Order - Continued Business Assistance Grant Program and request the use of American Rescue Plan Act Funding in an Amount Not to Exceed $150,000 and Approving Guidelines for the Program
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Overview
Overview
The Village is committed to assisting Oak Park businesses as we move through the Covid-19 emergency. In addition to the previously approved and implemented business assistance grant programs, the Village is seeking to assist food sales/foodservice and restaurant businesses who are subject to the Village’s December 30, 2021 Covid-19 Public Health Proof of Vaccination in Public Spaces order, in defraying expenses related to enforcing said order. The proposed Oak Park Vaccination Requirement Order - Continued Assistance Business Grant Program will make $1,000 of American Rescue Plan Act resources available to each Oak Park licensed business subject to the new health order.
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Recommendation
Recommendation
Approve the Resolution
Fiscal Impact
Under the American Rescue Plan Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds, the Village of Oak Park’s allotment is $38,984,404.00, of which $19,492,201 has already been received.
On August 30, 2021, the Village Board authorized the creation of an Oak Park Business and Non-Profit Coronavirus Recovery (BNPCR) Grant Program using American Rescue Act Funding in an amount not to exceed $550,000. Specifically, the amount designated to assist small businesses out of this total was $400,000. As of December 31, 2021, the Village had awarded 77 business grants as a part of this program, amounting to $241,914.26 in total assistance. Together, in 2020 and 2021, the Village has utilized Cares Act and American Rescue Plan funding to provide Oak Park businesses with $734,399.26 in direct financial assistance.
Staff is now recommending that the Village Board approve an additional grant program for licensed Oak Park businesses in our food sales/foodservice and restaurant categories. The Oak Park Vaccination Requirement Order - Continued Assistance Business Grant Program would make $1,000.00 available to each of these food businesses who are subject to the vaccination requirements of the new health order. The up-to $140,000 cost of this new program would be paid for out of the Village’s American Rescue Plan Coronavirus State and Local Recovery Funds. If the new program is approved at the amount requested, it is possible that upon completion of this new grant program and the awarding of the money remaining in the PPE reimbursement and rent/mortgage assistance grant program, that the Village will have provided Oak Park businesses with $1,032,485 in direct financial assistance during the Covid-19 emergency.
If approved by the Village Board, the Finance Department will create a new expenditure account out of the American Rescue Plan resources, as has previously been the case.
Background
In terms of providing financial assistance to Oak Park businesses, initially, in 2020/2021, the Village Board designated $550,000 for business recovery assistance loans/grants using the Community Development Block Grant - Coronavirus Cares Act (CDBG-CV) relief funds. As of December 31, 2021, the Village had awarded 85 business loans/grants as a part of this program, amounting to $492,485 in total assistance. This program has come to an end.
Under the American Rescue Plan Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds, the Village of Oak Park’s allotment is $38,984,404.00, of which $19,492,201 has already been received. On May 24, 2021, the Village Manager recommended funding various immediate needs in FY 21, this included ongoing emergency aid in categories such as business recovery assistance. On August 30, 2021, the Village Board authorized the creation of an Oak Park Business and Non-Profit Coronavirus Recovery (BNPCR) Grant Program using American Rescue Act Funding in an amount not to exceed $550,000. Specifically, the amount designated to assist small businesses out of this total was $400,000. As of December 31, 2021, the Village had awarded 77 business grants as a part of this program, amounting to $241,914.26 in total assistance. This program continues with $158,085.74 still available to assist qualified businesses with past-due rent/mortgage and PPE reimbursement costs.
Together, in 2020 and 2021, the Village has utilized Cares Act and American Rescue Plan funding to provide Oak Park businesses with $734,399.26 in direct financial assistance.
On Tuesday, December 28, Village Health Director Dr. Theresa Chapple-McGruder, held a ZOOM meeting with Oak Park Businesses to discuss the new health order that she was, at that time, drafting, requiring certain businesses to request proof of vaccination status prior to serving. During that meeting, business owners requested additional information, the Village’s help in creating informational signage for their use and financial support from the Village for any costs the businesses may incur to facilitate the requirements of the new health order. On January 5, 2022, the Development Customer Services Department distributed, by e-mail, the signage that businesses had requested and offered to provide physical signs to any business that requested one. The proposal before the Board is an effort to be responsive to the business's request for financial assistance to help defray potential new costs associated with implementing the new health order.
In an effort to be responsive to food-related businesses requests for financial support for costs related to implementing the new Covid-19 Public Health Proof of Vaccination in Public Spaces order, staff is recommending that the Village Board approve an additional grant program for licensed Oak Park businesses, in our food sales/service and restaurant categories. The Oak Park Food Sales/Service and Restaurant Business - Continued Assistance Grant Program (FS&R-CAP) would make $1,000.00 available to each of the licensed food-related businesses subject to the vaccination requirement portion of the new health order. The up to $140,000 cost of this new program would be paid for out of the Village’s American Rescue Plan Coronavirus State and Local Recovery Funds. Each of the food-related businesses subject to the vaccination requirements in the new order can then use the $1,000 to defray expenses related to enforcing the requirements in said order.
If the new program is approved at the amount requested, it is possible that upon completion of this new program and the awarding of the money remaining in the PPE reimbursement and rent/mortgage assistance program, that the Village will have provided Oak Park businesses with $1,033,485 in direct financial assistance during the Covid-19 emergency.
A copy of the proposed program's application and guidelines are attached. The application is a very simple two-page document and it requires no attachments. Major program guidelines include the following: 1.) The business must be licensed in Oak Park; 2.) The business must be open to the public; 3.) The business must be classified by the Village as a retail food sales/food sales or restaurant business; 4.) The business must not have any unpaid debts to the Village organization; 5.) No home-based businesses are eligible; and 6.) The program application must be submitted on or prior to May 1, 2022, the date the program ends.
If approved, staff will distribute information about the new grant program directly to the businesses that qualify for the program, by both mail and e-mail.
Alternatives
N/A
Previous Board Action
On July 6, 2021, the Village Board had a presentation on the ARPA eligible uses.
On August 30, 2021, the Village Board authorized the creation of an Oak Park Business and Non-Profit Coronavirus Recovery (BNPCR) Grant Program using American Rescue Act Funding in an amount not to exceed $550,000.
Citizen Advisory Commission Action
On Tuesday, December 28, Village Health Director Dr. Theresa Chapple-McGruder, held a ZOOM meeting with Oak Park Businesses to discuss the new health order that she was, at that time, drafting, requiring certain businesses to request proof of vaccination status prior to serving. This proposed grant program is the result of feedback obtained from that Zoom meeting with approximately 141 businesses on December 28.
Anticipated Future Actions/Commitments
N/A
Intergovernmental Cooperation Opportunities
N/A