The Wrangell Economic Development Committee met Tuesday afternoon, May 19, to workshop several financial assistance ideas they will be bringing before the borough assembly in the near future. With the COVID-19 pandemic ongoing, and the city expecting to receive money via the CARES Act to help with economic recovery, the committee has spent the past few meetings workshopping ways to assist people and businesses around the community. The committee had an extensive list of categories of financial assistance they were considering bringing to the assembly, each with their own specific ideas.
For example, one such category was "food assistance." The EDC was considering setting up a grant program, valued at $20,000 total, where entities that supply food to the public can apply for money to provide free meals or food boxes. Some examples of entities that could apply for this program would be the Salvation Army, restaurants around town, and the Senior Center. The committee decided that putting a cap of $3,000 for each grant that the entities could apply for was a good, general number to set things at for the workshop.
Another category they discussed was financial assistance for social service programs. This would be for Wrangell entities that offer family support services, counseling, and help for victims of abuse. Like the food assistance category, the EDC workshopped a $20,000 grant program.
More widely, to offer assistance for members of the community itself and local businesses, the committee considered a wide variety of ideas. Some of these included extending a cancellation of fees and interest rates on late utility payments into the fall, a voucher program to help residents and businesses pay their utility bills, and stopping fees or interest rates on late moorage payments. The committee also considered a voucher program to incentivize local shopping and creating additional sales tax relief days.
The EDC also considered ways to incentivize safety measures during the pandemic. One idea of how the city could do this would be through a "cash for masks" program. Shoppers who take selfies of themselves shopping while wearing face masks, for example, could receive rewards of some kind from the chamber of commerce. Another idea the committee discussed was to set up a fund to help purchase and distribute PPE to businesses and visitors.
As this was only a workshop, no formal action has been taken. Economic Development Director Carol Rushmore said that these ideas will be brought before the borough assembly in their next meeting, next week.
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