In May of 2020 the City Council approved the establishment of a “Business Support Program” resulting in the suspension of temporary promotional sign enforcement, flexibility regarding late payment of business license taxes, waiver of fire safety inspection fees, and a “Shop Local” campaign. In August, the City Council extended and expanded the Business Support Program to include CARES Act business financial assistance for restaurants through the balance of the year. While the CARES Act business financial assistance has been exhausted, and staff remains hopeful there may be relief from the impacts of COVID-19 as the result of the forthcoming release of vaccines, staff believes there are benefits to the local business community to further extend the Business Support Program until the City determines that a local emergency no longer exists.
Should the City Council adopt the resolution extending the Business Support Program to be coterminous with the declaration of a local emergency, the Program would remain in effect until such time that the City Council chooses to terminate the declaration of a local emergency.