CITY of ALBUQUERQUE
TWENTY FOURTH COUNCIL
COUNCIL BILL NO. R-20-109 ENACTMENT NO. ________________________
SPONSORED BY: Lan Sena
RESOLUTION
title
Removing The Aggregate Maximum Limit Of Economic Relief Grants Provided To Small And Local For-Profit Organizations Negatively Impacted By The COVID-19 Pandemic Through The Coronavirus, Aid, Relief, And Economic Security Act (CARES Act) (Sena)
body
REMOVING THE AGGREGATE MAXIMUM LIMIT OF ECONOMIC RELIEF GRANTS PROVIDED TO SMALL AND LOCAL FOR-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS NEGATIVELY IMPACTED BY THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC THROUGH THE CORONAVIRUS, AID, RELIEF, AND ECONOMIC SECURITY ACT (CARES Act).
WHEREAS, on March 11, 2020, Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham issued Executive Order 2020-004, Order Declaring a State of Public Health Emergency relating to the spread of COVID-19, which order has been extended and amended through subsequent related orders by the Governor and New Mexico Department of Health (the “Public Health Orders”); and
WHEREAS, in the subsequent weeks these orders, among other things, operated to limit public gatherings and required non-essential businesses to close or otherwise adjust or limit business activity; and
WHEREAS, on March 27, 2020, the President signed into law the U.S. Government’s Phase 3 aid package to provide relief due to COVID-19 through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (the “CARES Act”), to cover costs incurred due to the public health emergency with respect to COVID-19 for the period beginning March 1, 2020 through December 30, 2020; and
WHEREAS, the CARES Act funding allows for economic assistance to small businesses impacted by the public health emergency to include grants to small businesses to reimburse the costs of business interruption caused by required closures; and
WHEREAS, on September 21, 2020, the City Council approved Resolution R-20-92, Enactment No. R-2020-097, which approved the use of $10 million of CARES Act funding to provide grants to qualifying small businesses affected by the Public Health Order; and
WHEREAS; Resolution R-20-97 limited the aggregate amount of total CARES grant funding to a single business to $10,000, as received from the State, Bernalillo County, and the City; and
WHEREAS, there is a greater need for additional support to small businesses, above the limit provided in R-20-97; and
WHEREAS, the approval to spend these funds for the purposes described in the Resolution is timely and necessary.
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL, THE GOVERNINING BODY OF THE CITY OF ALBUQUERQUE:
SECTION 1. The eligibility requirements for the grants authorized in Resolution R-20-97, Section 2, are hereby amended as follows:
a. The business must have 50 or fewer full-time employees, including the owner/s. For purposes of counting full-time employees, two part-time employees will be equivalent to one full-time employee;
b. The business must be registered, have their place of incorporation, and be physically located within the Albuquerque city limits;
c. The business must have experienced financial hardship due to COVID-19;
d. The business must have been in business for at least 1 year;
e. Funds must be deposited into a business bank account and only be used for business expenses;
f. Business owners must provide a brief summary about the use and results of the grant funds six months after receipt;
g. Businesses that are restricted to patrons above the age of 18 or older will not be eligible for award (for example, bars or smoke shops);
h. Franchises are not eligible for award, except that are independently owned and operated businesses registered in the State of New Mexico, are eligible for award, subject to the remaining conditions of the grant;
i. Businesses awarded grants from the State of New Mexico or Bernalillo County due to financial hardship related to COVID-19 are eligible to obtain a grant from the City. The total grant amount received from the City may not exceed $10,000;
j. Awards granted after November 16, 2020 shall be prioritized to applicants who have not previously received Covid-19 Relief funds under the State of New Mexico or Bernalillo County programs.
SECTION 2. EMERGENCY MEASURE; EFFECTIVE DATE. This resolution is passed and approved as an emergency measure and takes effect immediately upon adoption.
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