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HomeMy WebLinkAbout09/25/2020CC OFFICE OF THE CITY MANAGER Sept. 25, 2020 TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council FROM: Christian Clegg, City Manager SUBJECT: General Information Notable Items  The City this week launched its new B-CARES program, making $3 million of Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act funds available to local small businesses impacted by the pandemic. More than 100 local businesses have submitted applications and are in various stages of the review process, according to the Finance Department. The program allows small businesses – those with fewer than 25 full-time employees and brought in $5 million or less in 2019 – to apply for aid of up to $20,000. The money can be used for payroll, working capital, to purchase Personal Protective Equipment for employees/customers, paying rent or mortgage, or paying vendor invoices. The grant program is on a first come, first served basis and small businesses can apply for the grants through the City’s website. The City Council this week also voted to allocate $2 million in CARES Act funds to the County of Kern’s Kern Recovery program in support of local non-profit operations. That allocation will be available only to non-profits operating within the City limits. Through various projects and allocations, the City has now directed nearly half ($14.5 million) of its $33.5 million in state CARES money to local business aid and rent or mortgage relief.  In an effort to continue to support local businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic and resulting State-imposed closures and restrictions, the City will temporarily close part of Eye Street to vehicular traffic starting Monday, September 28 at 8:30 a.m. This will allow nearby restaurants with approved COVID-19 Special Event Permits to expand seating for diners and increase their capacity. The closure will extend from 19th Street to the alleyway just south of 20th Street and will General Information Sept. 25, 2020 Page 2 be in effect indefinitely. “No Parking” signs were in place by Friday morning to alert drivers. Barriers and additional signage will be in place by Monday morning. The City is proud to be able to support local businesses during these unprecedented times and circumstances.  Please join Visit Bakersfield for a free Web-BEER-nar Wednesday on Wednesday, September 30 at 10 a.m. This latest in Visit Bakersfield’s Webinar Wednesday series will feature “The Sound of Something Brewing” as participants explore three local breweries: 2nd Phase Brewing, Great Change Brewing, and Temblor Brewing Company. A representative from each brewery will share information on specialty drinks and food, current safety guidelines, operating hours, highlights, and upcoming events. Registration is free and can be made here, but space is limited.  The Recreation & Parks Department’s mass trimming season began this week, starting with Chamber Boulevard in the southwest on Tuesday (see before & after below). Crews continued trimming along Ming Avenue this week. Residents will notice a big difference in the landscaping as the trimming continues throughout the City.  They DO rescue cats! Just before 1 p.m. on Monday, September 21, the Bakersfield Fire Department responded to a house fire in southwest Bakersfield and crews put the fire out. During a search of the home afterward, a firefighter found the owner’s cat hiding in a bedroom. The cat was unharmed and returned to its owner (right). No injuries were reported from the fire.  The weekly #RecTheHouse campaign by the Recreation & Parks Department is going strong! This week’s video features three officers from the Bakersfield Police Department, as well as some neighborhood children – all appropriately social General Information Sept. 25, 2020 Page 3 distancing, of course! These videos have been a great way to show families how to have fun at home with very little expense, a little creativity and some imagination!  A brief reminder for residents: The Streets Division provides regular street sweeping across the City once a month and residents can find out when their street will be attended to on our website. Just select the “street sweeper” option in the menu on the left, then click inside the border to see that area’s sweeping schedule. The City asks residents to remember to not leave their vehicle(s) parked on the street along the curb during that street’s scheduled sweeping if possible. This will help the sweeper be as efficient and effective as possible.  Now that it’s fall, the annual leaf collection operation is returning soon! The Streets Division will begin leaf collection on October 15. Residents will be allowed to place leaves in the street 2 feet from the curb face. This service is expected to last until around Jan. 15, 2021. Traffic Advisories  Nighttime freeway closures scheduled; Daytime closure planned on Ford Avenue Nighttime closures have been scheduled for the westbound State Route 58-to- southbound State Route 99 connector ramp on Sunday, September 27 and Monday, September 28. The closures are expected to be in place between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m. while the contractor places concrete to tie-in the newly widened separation bridge. Westbound-to-southbound motorists can use Union Avenue to connect with southbound State Route 99. Closures are scheduled on Wednesday, September 30 and Thursday, October 1 for the two outside lanes on northbound State Route 99 between State Route 58 and Ming Avenue. The northbound State Route 99-to-eastbound State Route 58 connector ramp will also be closed between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m. One northbound lane will remain open for through traffic. Northbound-to-eastbound motorists will exit at Ming Avenue and connect with State Route 58 via Union Avenue. Ford Avenue will be closed between Dunlap Street and North Stine Road during daytime hours on Monday, September 28. The closure is needed to release falsework from the new bridge crossing over the roadway. If necessary, this section of Ford Avenue will remain closed Monday night and Tuesday. Motorists can detour around the work zone by using Joseph Drive/McDonald Way. Construction schedules may be changed without notice due to unforeseen circumstances. The Thomas Roads Improvement Program apologizes for any inconvenience this work may cause the traveling public. City Manager’s Office 1600 Truxtun Avenue, Bakersfield, CA 93301 661-326-3751 FAX: 661-324-1850 MEDIA ADVISORY FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Joe Conroy Monday, Sept. 21, 2020 Public Information Officer (661) 326-3074 JConroy@bakersfieldcity.us CITY OF BAKERSFIELD LAUNCHES NEW BUSINESS ASSISTANCE GRANT PROGRAM The City of Bakersfield is pleased to announce a new Business Assistance Grant program with the goal of helping local small businesses and sole proprietors impacted by the COVD-19 pandemic and related State-implemented closures. This new program makes $3 million in City Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act funds immediately available to local businesses in need. Businesses located within the City limits will be eligible for grants in $5,000 increments up to $20,000. The amount each business would be eligible for is based on the business’ total full-time employees. Only businesses with 25 or fewer full-time employees and revenues of $5 million or less in 2019 are eligible. Interested business owners can find more eligibility information and apply for the grant at http://www.bakersfieldcity.us/BCARES. The funding is available on a first come, first served basis. The grant guidelines are also provided in a separate, supplemental document. “The City of Bakersfield wants to be as business-friendly and supportive as possible in these difficult times,” said Christian Clegg, Bakersfield City Manager. “These allocations are important to making sure our small business sector will survive this unprecedented impact and get back to business-as-usual quickly.” Beyond this new Business Assistance Grant Program, the City plans to allocate CARES funding for forgivable business loans, grants for non-profit organizations, public- private partnerships providing job training and technical assistance to local businesses, and relief specific to the travel and tourism industry. The City of Bakersfield recognizes the importance of local government partnerships and is working with the County of Kern to appropriately utilize each agency’s assets to best support local businesses. In order to make support available to local organizations as quickly as possible, if approved by the City Council, the City plans to commit $3 million to the Kern Small Business Relief Program and $2 million to the County’s Nonprofit COVID-19 Economic Support Grant Program. Both allocations will be earmarked for businesses and non-profits located within the City limits only. Of the $33.5 million in CARES Act funding the City has received from the State of California, nearly half has been allocated to support local businesses, non-profits and other organizations to support the local community. ### CITY OF BAKERSFIELD BUSINESS ASSISTANCE GRANTS PROGRAM GUIDELINES Grant Eligibility Requirements: 1. Applicant must have a business physically located within Bakersfield’s city limits. 2. Applicant must be independently owned and operated and have a current Business Tax Certificate issued by the City of Bakersfield 3. Applicant must be a for profit small business as defined by the following: a. Have between one and not more than twenty-five full time equivalent (FTE) employees. An FTE employee works an average of 40 hours a week so to determine a business’ FTE count, just add the average hours worked per employee and divide that by 40. The owner operator of a business is considered one FTE. b. Annual revenues are less that $5,000,000 for the calendar year 2019. c. Demonstrate and certify that business has been operating for at least one full year prior to March 1, 2020. 4. Applicant must certify that business has experienced at least a 25% reduction in revenue since March 1, 2020 and that grant proceeds will be used for allowable expenses under the Federal CARES Act guidelines 5. Applicant business cannot have any unremedied City Code violations GRANT AWARD WILL BE BASED ON THE NUMBER FTE EMPLOYEES 1 to 5 FTEs $ 5,000 6 to 10 FTEs $ 10,000 11 to 17 FTEs $ 15,000 18 to 25 FTEs $ 20,000 6. Applicants who have not have received Federal CARES Act funding through the Federal Payroll Protection Program (PPP) or the County of Kern’s Small Business Relief Program (KSBRP) will be given preference. The inclusion of those businesses who have received PPP or KSBRP funds will be considered if funding is available. 7. The allocation of grants will be on a first come first served basis. To be considered, the application must be complete with all required documentation included. It will not be officially placed in the queue for funding until reviewed by program staff. Emails will be sent to applicants with grant request is accepted and placed in the queue. Documentation Required: • Copies of Income tax returns for 2018 and 2019. • Copies of quarter payroll tax filings for the 1st and 2nd quarters of 2020 showing number of employees. If small business is owner operated and has no employees then tax returns are sufficient. • Copy of current Business Tax Certificate. City Manager’s Office 1600 Truxtun Avenue, Bakersfield, CA 93301 661-326-3751 FAX: 661-324-1850 MEDIA ADVISORY FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Joe Conroy Thursday, Sept. 24, 2020 Public Information Officer (661) 326-3074 JConroy@bakersfieldcity.us TEMPORARY CLOSURE OF EYE STREET PLANNED The City of Bakersfield, in further efforts to help local businesses continue to operate during the pandemic and resulting State-imposed closures, will temporarily close part of Eye Street in Downtown Bakersfield to allow area restaurants with approved COVID-19 Special Event Permits to use the street for expanded outdoor customer seating. The temporary, around-the-clock closure of Eye Street between 19th Street and the alley just south of 20th Street, will begin at 8:30 a.m. on Monday, September 28. Nearby restaurants with approved SEP will be allowed to use the closed street for outdoor dining. Starting Friday, September 25, "No Parking" signs will be placed in the area to make drivers aware of the planned closure. Plastic water-filled k-railings will be used to close the roadway to vehicle traffic. A "Not a Through Street" sign will be placed at the intersection of Eye and 20th Streets for southbound traffic. The closure has been designed to allow emergency access if needed and for trash pickup and will remain in effect indefinitely until state guidance regarding the pandemic response allows for a return to indoor dining. In addition to creating and offering the new COVID-19 SEP to help local businesses during the pandemic, the City has also allocated millions of dollars of Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act funding, including creating the B- CARES program offering up to $20,000 in grants for small businesses. The City will continue to look for creative opportunities to assist the local business community. ### K-Rail K-Rail City Manager’s Office 1600 Truxtun Avenue, Bakersfield, CA 93301 661-326-3751 FAX: 661-324-1850 MEDIA ADVISORY FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Joe Conroy Friday, Sept. 25, 2020 Public Information Officer (661) 326-3074 JConroy@bakersfieldcity.us CITY OF BAKERSFIELD’S ANNUAL LEAF COLLECTION OPERATION RETURNS The City of Bakersfield’s Streets Division will be conducting its annual leaf collection operation from Oct. 15, 2020 through approximately Jan. 15, 2021. The hours of operation will be 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., though they may be extended if necessary. During this time, City residents are allowed to rake leaves into the street adjacent to the curb and gutter for collection by Streets Division equipment. To allow for proper drainage, the City asks that leaves be left at least 24 inches from the curb face. The leaves are collected by specialized equipment designed for this purpose only and the public is reminded that no other debris will be collected from the streets. For more information, please call 661-326-3111 between 7 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through Friday. ###