Emporia City Commissioners are working to develop a strategy for disbursing Community Development Block Grant funding in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
As KVOE has reported recently, the city of Emporia received $167,000 in funds to assist with economic development and food and meal programs. During their study session Wednesday morning, commissioners heard input from Emporia Main Street Director Casey Woods and Grant Administrator Garrett Nordstrom regarding a potential disbursal process for said funds.
The funds earmarked for economic development, $132,000 to be exact, can assist local businesses affected by COVID-19 with working capital in specific areas. City Commissioner Rob Gilligan says the city needs to develop a fair disbursal model.
He adds that the city also wants to be as effective as possible with its dispersal of funds.
Commissioners have requested Woods and Nordstrom to return next week with additional guidance to help the city further prioritize future disbursal of relief funds.
In other business, commissioners also held an action session Wednesday morning during which time they approved a resolution accepting any potential SPARK funding appropriated by the county for additional COVID-19 relief.
This was followed by a decision to table action on setting a bid time and date for city projects which could be financed by that funding. Among the project list is a potential design of a new website for the city of Emporia.
Gilligan says the main reason for tabling a decision, specifically on the website, has to do with time. If the city did utilize SPARK funding for the project the money would have to be spent by the end of the year. This is problematic as commissioners learned the average time frame for fully constructing a new website is roughly six months.
Gilligan says if the city moved forward with the plan, the limited time frame could affect its overall quality.
Commissioners plan to revisit the project list during their Aug. 5 action session.
Separately Wednesday, commissioners reviewed the 2021 non-personnel funds and the city’s five-year budget plan, discussed the potential purchase of a new fire engine, the development of a new floodplain map, and the possible vacation of Road K.
The Emporia City Commission will reconvene next Wednesday inside the Municipal Courtroom at White Auditorium.
