Lacey Set to Tap $1 Million Fund to Help Small Businesses in the City

Posted

In an effort to help small businesses hurt by the coronavirus outbreak, Lacey City Council heard and most likely will approve next week a proposal that would allow the city to tap a $1 million fund for small business grants.

The City Council considered the proposal during its Thursday night work session and seemed anxious to put it into action.

"We need to get this up and running quickly because small businesses are already taking a huge hit," Councilman Lenny Greenstein said.

Restaurants and bars were ordered shut by the governor for two weeks to limit the spread of coronavirus, and other businesses have followed suit, likely to observe similar guidelines about groups and the virus.

Although restaurants are still allowed to do take out, Greenstein, after talking to restaurant owners, said the "take out" side of the business is a fraction of their normal operations.

But by providing grants, businesses can keep the doors open and mitigate other expenses, such as paying leases, or loans, or hanging on to essential employees, said Rick Walk, the city's community and economic development director.

Not all of the details have been ironed out. There was talk of funding 50 businesses, and perhaps another 50 after that, and grant sizes of $10,000. Financial institutions also might step up and provide matching funds.

The city will work with the Center for Business & Innovation, which, along with the Thurston Economic Development Council, is housed in the Lacey campus of South Puget Sound Community College.

CB&I director, Kaylee Purcell, who also attended Thursday's meeting, urged business owners to go to the Thurston EDC website and fill out an "economic injury form." From there, they can process those applications according to Lacey requirements, she said.



The business must operate in the city, have a business license and have been in business before March 1, Walk said.

What about Lacey residents?

The City Council also plans to vote on a resolution next week that would provide some utility bill relief. The resolution is expected to offer flexibility in terms of paying bills and suspending penalties, City Manager Scott Spence said.

Meanwhile, Councilwoman Carolyn Cox pointed out the council spent a lot of time Thursday night talking about ways to help the business community, but spent no time on the health of the community, such as the "public health threat posed by the unsheltered people trying to survive out there."

One example are those living in a homeless encampment near the state Department of Ecology, she said.

Thurston County Public Health and Social Services recently received a $1 million grant to help the homeless, Cox said. One idea, which could also help struggling restaurants, is to order box lunches and deliver them to the camps, she said.

By doing that, the homeless can shelter in place, Cox said.

"We keep them safe and the community safe," she said.