Lucerne County Council set to determine on small enterprise grant program Tuesday

Lucerne County Council is ready to vote Tuesday on a $ 20 million grant program for small companies funded by a portion of the county’s American Rescue Plan allocation.

Council members provided combined reactions to the proposal throughout a piece session dialogue earlier this month.

Thus far, council has earmarked almost $ 5 million of its $ 113 million in federal American Rescue funding – $ 924,000 to cowl its public transportation matches and $ 4 million for county jail repairs and knowledge expertise wants. The county doesn’t must decide to an American Rescue allocation plan till the tip of 2024 and has till the tip of 2026 to spend the cash.

The county’s administration pitched the $ 20 million allocation to assist companies with as much as 19 staff climate staffing challenges, inflation and persevering with results of the COVID-19 pandemic.

It’s modeled after the county’s earlier small enterprise help program provided final 12 months by way of a distinct federal restoration funding supply – the Coronavirus Support, Aid and Financial Safety (CARES) Act. Roughly 680 county small companies acquired grants in that program.

Regional financial growth group Penn’s Northeast helped to manage the small enterprise program for the county, with help from the Neighborhood First Fund. A web-based portal was set as much as settle for purposes.

County Appearing Supervisor Romilda Crocamo informed council Feb. 8 the administration concluded $ 20 million can be obligatory for a brand new spherical of help as a result of companies are nonetheless struggling, largely as a result of further “upheaval” attributable to the coronavirus omicron variant.

County Neighborhood Improvement Director Andrew Reilly stated help for small enterprise is “completely obligatory” primarily based on a survey carried out by Penn’s Northeast and suggestions from different county financial growth companions, together with chambers of commerce.

“Mainly what we hear is that they proceed to battle with the staffing disaster, provide chain points and the rising price of provides,” Reilly stated.

He stated the grants wouldn’t be a “hand out” however can be a “hand up” to assist make them extra “resilient for the longer term.”

The county has almost 6,000 companies with 19 or fewer staff, Penn’s Northeast President / CEO John Augustine informed council.

“That’s clearly the spine of our financial construction,” Augustine stated.

Augustine stated he believes the federal authorities positioned language within the American Rescue program particularly authorizing small enterprise help as a result of continued want.

Following procedures utilized in final 12 months’s small enterprise grants, the allocations can be made in a “truthful and equitable” means with efforts to make sure eligible companies are conscious of the chance, Augustine informed council.

The $ 20 million allocation would “completely make a distinction in each nook of Lucerne County,” Augustine stated.

Council response

Councilman Chris Perry stated he was impressed with the intensive software and evaluate course of that might be used for the grant willpower. He additionally spoke with a Hazleton chamber consultant to confirm the necessity for extra small enterprise help.

Council Vice Chairman John Lombardo concurred, saying he was “very impressed” with the applying course of. He thanked the administration, significantly Crocamo, for working with council members who had expressed considerations when the proposal was tabled final month.

Lombardo stated many companies are battling inflation.

“That’s not misplaced on any of us, how costly issues have gotten,” Lombardo stated, expressing assist for the grant program.

However Councilman Kevin Lescavage prompt delaying a call till the county is aware of what funding the state is offering to small companies so there isn’t a duplication.

Whereas stressing he’s not against supporting small companies, Lescavage stated issue discovering employees is the largest criticism he’s listening to from the numerous small companies he interacts with at work.

“It’s not a lack of enterprise however as an alternative a lack of staff,” Lescavage stated. “I’ve one gentleman who may do one other half one million {dollars} in enterprise, and he cannot get staff to do this.”

Lescavage additionally famous his latest Saturday morning breakfast out for 4 price $ 54. He predicted many households shall be consuming out much less and questioned if investing extra funding in grants will “change the dynamics of what’s taking place on this nation proper now.”

“Inflation is thru the roof. All people is aware of it on each single merchandise that they purchase. So persons are simply going to chop again, ”he stated.

Councilman Stephen J. City agreed, saying many locations “may do much more enterprise” if they may discover employees. He additionally questioned the executive prices to hold out this system.

Councilman Brian Thornton stated a “disturbing development emerged after the pandemic” by which extra firms domestically and throughout the nation have completely switched to distant working, impacting eateries.

“The large crowds they used to have at lunchtime within the cities, like downtown Wilkes-Barre and Hazleton, they’re most likely by no means going to return,” Thornton stated. “I do not likely know what the answer shall be to that.”

City stated extra eating places should embrace on-line meals supply apps to outlive.

Council’s voting assembly begins at 6 pm Tuesday on the county courthouse on River Road in Wilkes-Barre, with directions for distant attendance posted underneath council’s on-line conferences hyperlink at luzernecounty.org.

Different requests

Council is also slated to vote Tuesday on American Rescue funding requests from the county Flood Safety Authority and the North East Pennsylvania Land Financial institution Authority.

The flood safety authority, which oversees the Wyoming Valley Levee alongside the Susquehanna River, is in search of $ 8 million for a spread of tasks.

Based mostly on suggestions from the council and the administration, the authority agreed to go on the advantages of receiving the county funds to levee price payers by way of a price discount.

The land financial institution authority, a regional entity targeted on blight discount, is in search of $ 500,000. It covers Pittston, Jenkins Township and the boroughs of West Pittston, Duryea and Avoca.