All through the pandemic, Garrett County Authorities, at the side of the Maryland Division of Commerce, has created a number of small enterprise help grants. These grant applications are administered regionally by Garrett County Division of Financial Improvement.
Two Garrett County grant applications offered grant funding to lodging companies (together with resorts, and mattress and breakfasts) and restaurant companies (together with caterers) for bills related to adjusting operations and procedures as a result of COVID-19 pandemic.
“Our small enterprise group is the spine of the Garrett County financial system,” stated Kim Durst, Garrett County Supervisor of Enterprise Improvement. “These grant funds had been instrumental in serving to 90 native companies.”
The lodge aid grant program from the Maryland Division of Commerce offered practically a million {dollars} to 16 native companies. A mean of $1,766 per room was allotted for COVID-19 aid. This funding didn’t require a match and won’t should be paid again.
For 2 rounds of restaurant aid grants, together with funding from the Maryland Division of Commerce and funds added by the Garrett County Authorities, 74 native companies had been awarded help. 60 foodservice companies obtained a grant of $10,000 every and 14 companies obtained grants of $5,000 every. These one-time awards don’t require payback.
Garrett County and the Garrett County Well being Division additionally obtained a complete of $5 million in federal Coronavirus Assist, Reduction, and Financial Safety (CARES) funding. The U.S. Treasury set the rules for the expenditure of funds, giving the County discretion as to how the cash can be spent to assist residents affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The County, in session with the Well being Division and municipal leaders, developed a plan designed to set parameters on native funding for small companies, investments in know-how, reemployment of the County’s workforce, and re-configuring of enterprise processes.
This award, together with $319,894 in extra State funding, introduced the County with a possibility to cowl not solely County prices incurred as a result of this pandemic, however to additionally help our municipalities, group companions, and native small companies who skilled sudden prices as a result of COVID-19.
The Board of Garrett County Commissioners accepted CARES funding allocations within the following classes:
Expertise Infrastructure / Distance Studying / Telework
$1,578,885
Public Well being
$1,056,542
Public Security / Emergency Providers
$631,564
Important Personnel
$562,424
Neighborhood Motion / Neighborhood Social Providers
$427,684
Small Enterprise Help
$423,799
Restaurant Help (talked about above – 74 companies)
$319,894
Municipalities
$218,839
Fireplace Rescue / Emergency Medical Service
$128,200
Unallocated
$34,764
All native well being and authorities businesses are in every day contact with the native Emergency Operations Middle (EOC). This EOC has been activated since March 22, 2020, providing updates, methods, and coordination for the general public security and well being businesses throughout Garrett County.
“Throughout these unprecedented occasions, Garrett County has, as soon as once more, pulled collectively,” stated Board of Garrett County Commissioners Chair Paul Edwards. “We’ve been in a position so as to add vital infrastructure and provide wanted help in mild of this pandemic.
Garrett COVID-19 data continues to be accessible on the Garrett County Well being Division web site garretthealth.org. Anybody with medical questions concerning the virus might name the Well being Division COVID-19 Hotline at 301-334-7698.
