Metro East Sun

City of Belleville City Council met Nov. 12.

Here is the minutes provided by the council:

Mayor Eckert called this meeting to order.

City Clerk Meyer called roll. Members present on roll call: Alderman Kinsella, Alderman Hazel, Alderwoman Duco, Alderman Puss, Alderman Randle( arrived at 5. 03 p.m.), Alderman Ferguson, Alderman Anthony, Alderman Ovian, Alderman Dintelman, Alderwoman Schaefer, Alderwoman Stiehl, Alderman Elmore, Alderman Weygandt, Alderman Wigginton, Alderman Barfield. Alderman Rothweiler excused.

ROLL CALL DEPARTMENT HEADS

Roll Call Department Heads: Mayor Eckert; City Clerk, Jennifer Gain Meyer; City Treasurer, Dean Hardt; City Attorney Hoemer; Director of Finance, Jamie Maitret Director of IT, Scott Markovich; Assistant Director of Economic Development& Planning Division, Eric Schauster.

PLEDGE

Mayor Eckert led the Pledge of Allegiance.

PUBLIC PARTICIPATION

None.

ORAL REPORTS

ADMINISTRATION

Alderman Hazel made a motion seconded by Alderwoman Schaefer to approve submittal of a Local Coronavirus Urgent Remediation Emergency & Economic Support Payments Grants application, including the Belleville COVID- 19 Business Recovery Program.

Discussion.

Assistant Director ofEconomic Development& Planning Division, Eric Schauster, advised this is the CARES Act coming from the Federal Government through the State of Illinois. This is being distributed on a regional level. The Metro East is allotted $2. 1 million. The City will apply for 150,000. The deadline for submittal is November 13, 2020. The tum around time for the grant is 10 days; therefore, we will know by the end of the month if the application was approved. If the City is not successful, DCEO will provide feedback as to how to make a stronger application.

The City would like to provide a grant up to $ 5, 000 to businesses. This will be open to bars, restaurants, entertainment/event spaces, dry cleaners, salons, retail, wholesale. The City added other" in case there is another industry the City was not aware of impact by COVID.

Eligibility/ criteria for the City' s program is based on federal guidelines. 

Eligibility 

• Permanent, year-round business located within the corporate limits

• 50 or fewer equivalent employees( combination of 35 hours a week)

• Revenue must have been reduced more that 200/a beginning March 2020 vs. February 2020

• If they received any other COVID- 19 related federal funding they cannot use this money for those same expenses

• For-profit business

• No IRS tax liens

• Cannot be going through bankruptcy proceedings

• Home based businesses are not eligible

Funding can be used for

• Payroll

• Operating expenses

• Lease payments

• Modifications they had to make in order to comply with reopening

• Inventory

Ineligible costs

• Capital improvements

• Taxes

• Personal expenses

• Damages covered by insurance

• Expenditure prohibited under the CARES Act

• Reimbursements to donors for donated items

• Bonuses other than hazard pay or overtime

• Severance pay

• Legal settlements

• Anything that is not reasonably incurred by COVID- 19

The City will institute a scoring criterion under five categories

• Percentage of revenue lost

• Percentage of the business operations that were subject to a mandatory closure

• Duration of closure

• Years in business

• Number of full-time equivalent employees

To complete the application, they must include the following:

• Description ofthe impact of COVID- 19 on the business( including revenue)

• 2019 or latest business tax return

• Signed W9

• Bank statement from 2020 showing loss in revenues

• Proof ofprevious Federal funding and documentation of expenses funded through those programs

The City will have a 3- 5 person scoring team that will review the application. The team will be made up ofCity staff, 1 or 2 individuals from the public with a finance background. There will be no elected officials.

Once the City received approval from the State of Illinois this will be put out to the public, there will be a two-week application window. Once the window is closed the applications will be reviewed.

The number of grants awarded, and the amount is unknown at this time. It will be based on the following:

• Amount approved by the State of Illinois

• Number of applications received

• Score of applicants

If there is funding left it will be disseminated on a first come basis. This is a reimbursement; therefore, the City must pay out of the general fund and seek reimbursement from the State of Illinois.

Alderman Elmore asked regarding the comparison from March to November vs. February; Eric Schauster advised this is to get a baseline as to the revenues. Alderman Elmore asked for clarification regarding home base businesses i. e. painter, daycare; Eric Schauster advised this will be categorized under" other".

Members voting aye on roll call: Kinsella, Hazel, Duco, Pusa, Randle, Ferguson, Anthony, Ovian, Dintelman, Schaefer, Stiehl, Elmore, Weygandt, Wigginton, Barfield. ( 15)

ADJOURNMENT

Alderwoman Schaefer made a motion seconded by Alderwoman Dow to adjourn at 5: 18 p.m.

Members voting aye on roll call: Hazel, Duco, Puss, Randle, Ferguson, Anthony, Ovian, Dintelman, Schaefer, Stiehl, Elmore, Weygandt, Wigginton, Barfield, Kinsella. ( 15)

https://www.belleville.net/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/_11122020-2372