HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 06-02-20; 6-d - Coronavirus Relief Funding Plan and Additional Emergency Small Business Grant Funds 1
ORANGE COUNTY
BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT
Meeting Date: June 2, 2020
Action Agenda
Item No. 6-d
SUBJECT: Coronavirus Relief Funding Plan and Additional Emergency Small Business
Grant Funds
DEPARTMENT(S): County Manager and Financial
and Administrative Services
ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT:
Bonnie Hammersley, (919) 245-2300
Travis Myren, (919) 245-2300
Gary Donaldson, (919) 245-2453
Paul Laughton, (919) 245-2152
PURPOSE: To approve:
1) the appropriation of $2,665,753 in Coronavirus Relief Funding (CRF) on a County-wide
per capita basis;
2) the submittal of the County's CRF Plan by June 1, 2020; and
3) the appropriation of $410,000 in Article 46 Sales Tax Small Business Loan Funds for
Emergency Funding to small businesses.
BACKGROUND: The North Carolina General Assembly unanimously approved the Coronavirus
Relief Funding (House Bill 1043) that was signed by the Governor on May 4, 2020. The CRF
package includes relief measures related to public health and safety, education, small business
assistance, and continuity of state government operations.
The Orange County State-wide per capita share is $2,665,753 of the $150 million allocated to
NC counties. House Bill 1043 does not appropriate any funds directly to a city or town, but
instead delegates that funding decision to counties. At the May 19, 2020 Virtual Business
Meeting, the BOCC approved the CRF funding allocation detailed in the table below based on a
per capita allocation.
Coronavirus Relief Per Capita
Fund $ 2,665,753.00 Allocation
ORANGE $ 1,546,136.74 58%
CARRBORO $ 266,575.30 10%
CHAPEL HILL $ 746,410.84 28%
DURHAM $ - 0%
HILLSBOROUGH $ 79,972.59 3%
MEBANE $ 26,657.53 1%
TOTAL $ 2,665,753.00 100%
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COVID-19 Eligible Expenses:
• Support COVID-19 related expenditure for public health staff and program costs,
personal protective equipment (PPE), public safety staff expense, medical expense,
overtime or mandatory pay, distance learning and teleworking requirements
• Economic and Human Services support
• Expenses must be incurred between March 1, 2020 — December 30, 2020
• Funds cannot be used to replace lost local government revenue
The proposed County compiled CRF Funding Plan following requests from County departments
is:
Categories Planned Expenditures
Public Health Expenses; PPEs, Disinfectants $570,000
Personnel Support $350,000
Human Services including Housing Assistance and $456,136
Food to vulnerable residents
Telework and Information Technology $145,000
Economic Development $25,000
Tota 1 $1,546,136
CRF Reporting Requirements
June 1, 2020 - Counties determine a funding plan
Beginning October 1 - Submit Quarterly Reporting of expenditures to the State
The Funding Plan categories due by June 1, 2020 are:
1) Medical expenses
2) Public health expenses
3) Payroll expenses
4) Expenses to facilitate compliance with COVID-19-related public health measures
5) Expenses associated with economic support including small businesses
Emergency Small Business Grants
Staff is separately proposing using $410,000 from Article 46 Sales Tax Small Business Program
funds to provide Round 2 Emergency Grants to small businesses based on a financial review of
businesses April 2019 and April 2020 revenue. Grant Program eligibility requirements:
- Orange County based businesses
- A business must have not received Federal CARES Act, State or local funds
- Minimum of one year of operations
- Provide a public benefit in the form of job creation and tax base increase
- For-Profit business status
- All applicants are required to have been in business for a minimum of one-year, hold
applicable 2019 business privilege licenses, and be registered with appropriate legal
entities such as the North Carolina Secretary of State or Orange County Register of
Deeds office
- Companies are not eligible if they have past-due tax liabilities or tax liens, delinquencies
in Orange County property taxes, or were in bankruptcy (Corporate or Personal) prior to
the pandemic
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FINANCIAL IMPACT: The State has allocated $2,665,753 to the County for eligible COVID-19
expenses and the use of $410,000 of Article 46 Sales Tax Small Business Fund. There will be
forthcoming Budget Amendments for both funding sources.
SOCIAL JUSTICE IMPACT: The following Orange County Social Justice Goal is applicable to
this item.
• GOAL: ENSURE ECONOMIC SELF-SUFFICIENCY
The creation and preservation of infrastructure, policies, programs, and funding
necessary for residents to provide shelter, food, clothing and medical care for themselves
and their dependents.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT: There is no Orange County Environmental Responsibility Goal
impact associated with this item.
RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends that the Board approve the CRF Funding
Plan for submittal to the State as stated herein, and approve the appropriation of $410,000 from
Article 46 Sales Tax Small Business Loan Program funds for Emergency Small Business grants.