With Monday as the deadline for restaurants and bars to apply for Fiscal Court’s COVID-19 relief funds, officials said number of applications has been lower than expected.
The funds are only available for local establishments outside of City limits.
Director of Legislative Services David Smith said during Thursday’s Fiscal Court meeting that local restaurants and bars could receive assistance if their mailed-in applications were postmarked by Monday.
On Dec. 11, Smith reached out to each eligible establishments to explain the ins and outs of the program and its relief funds. Since approving the program two weeks ago, 14 checks have been mailed out.
Though 30 different mom-and-pop establishments are eligible for COVID-19 relief funds, there were a variety of obstacles preventing those applications from being submitted, Smith said.
Smith said alcoholic beverage licenses were the biggest issue.
“If you have a state alcohol license, you have to have a County one as well,” he said. “Some people lose their invoices so they never get a local one.”
Taxes have been another issue. Because restaurants and bars in the County pay County occupational taxes, those payments must be up to date and current in order to receive assistance, Smith said.
Slow mail service has been another issue. Smith said that “quite a few” applications had been mailed in, though Fiscal Court had not received them.
“Some said they mailed them last Monday and we still haven’t received them,” he said. “As long as they’re postmarked by the 21st, we will honor it.”
Smith said Fiscal Court was willing to work beyond the Monday deadline with restaurants and bars that were missing information in their applications.
So far, four applications that had been received were missing documents, he said.
One restaurant owner told officials the $5,000 grant would cover the funding they needed to reopen.
“It’s interesting about how $5,000 can have a big impact on a restaurant,” Smith added.
Those interested in applying can contact the Fiscal Court by calling 270-685-8424.
