LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The Lakeport City Council held a public hearing on Tuesday night as part of a grant process in which the city council decided to pursue funds for economic development and improving the city’s community center.
As part of the hearing, Community Development Director Jenni Byers presented to the council the report on rounds two and three for the Community Development Block Grant Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act – or CDBG-CV – program.
Under the program’s auspices, the city is eligible to apply for $241,394 which, if it receives the money, it must spend within 24 months.
The city can use the funds for several permitted activity areas: public services, public facility and infrastructure improvement, public facility acquisition, housing assistance, business assistance and microenterprise assistance.
The city conducted an online survey that was active through Tuesday at 3 p.m. Byers said they had 55 respondents who weighed in on uses for the funds.
In the survey responses, which can be found here, 50.9 percent of participants said they or someone in their immediate family had been affected financially by COVID-19.
Of those who were impacted, 34.5 percent said they had experienced reduced work hours, 20.7 percent said their place of employment closed or they were laid off, 17.2 percent said they were sick or cared for a sick family member and 6.9 percent saw increased work hours or a new job, with other responses including being unable to work because of being at home for distance learning and experiencing decreased business revenue.
Survey respondents showed the most support, 38.9 percent, for using grant funds for business assistance, followed by public services – specifically, rental assistance – and microenterprise assistance for businesses with five or fewer employees.
Byers said staff met after receiving the comments and considered the responses.
Staff’s recommendation to the council was to pursue $191,394 be allocated towards economic development activities, she said.
Another $50,000 would go for public facilities and infrastructure, in particular, installing a new HVAC system at the Silveira Community Center on N. Main Street, which has been a COVID-19 testing site and which could soon be used for a vaccination site as well, Byers said.
She said Gov. Gavin Newsom recently signed SB 91 to provide rental assistance for up to 12 months, so staff decided not to duplicate that effort.
Councilman Michael Green was concerned that SB 91 doesn’t offer enough help and wanted to consider giving assistance directly to city residents.
Councilman Michael Froio wanted to know who would set up the criteria for who would receive the assistance.
Byers said the city has a baseline program for business loans that it could use. However, she asked for direction from the council on what its members wanted staff to bring back in the final resolution necessary to pursue the funds.
City Attorney David Ruderman told Froio, “It’s important to understand that this is the council's decision.”
Ruderman said that the council was to listen to the public input but, in the end, it was the council’s decision as to what areas of the community this money can be most useful for based on the criteria in the grant, which is very limited.
Mayor Pro Tem Stacey Mattina thanked staff for doing a good job with the grant, noting the money could go a long way.
“I do think our businesses really need it,” said Mattina, adding that they also need to keep the community center going.
Councilwoman Mireya Turner said she also supported staff’s recommendation for how to use the grant funds. Turner said having COVID-19 testing at the Silveira Center is a great asset, and it would be great to have a vaccination hub there as well.
Byers said the city will apply for the funding in two separate grant rounds.
The first, for the public facilities funds, is due after the next meeting in two weeks. The economic development grant is due March 5.
She asked for the council’s authorization for staff to make two applications, one for the $50,000 in public facility funds and the $191,394 for economic development.
Turner moved to approve pursuing the two funding allocations and directed staff to proceed with the applications for the improvements to the Silveira Center and the economic development funds.
Mattina seconded and the council approved the motion 5-0.
The council on Tuesday also received a report on the Blue Ribbon Committee for the Rehabilitation of Clear Lake.
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Lakeport City Council to pursue grant funds for economic development, community center improvements
- Elizabeth Larson
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