Council distributes $1.5M in CARES Act funding

Elyria City Council decided during a special meeting Aug. 10 it will distribute CARES Act funds to five areas.

Due to the pandemic, Elyria received $1.5 million in coronavirus funding from the CARES Act.

Elyria Municipal Court is to receive about $290,000, with $220,000 going to miscellaneous business; small-business assistance will receive $320,000; and $340,000 was allocated to community essential services.

In addition, staffing was allocated $560,000.

Municipal Court Judge Gary Bennett proposed some of the funds be used to reopen courts and prepare for a surge of delayed cases.

Bennett said Municipal Court wants to use the allocated funds toward a new recording system.

As a municipal court, it is required to record proceedings in courtrooms.

With the use of masks and shields, it has become difficult to hear what people are saying in the recordings, which is an old system, city officials said.

Elyria IT Department visited Municipal Court and agreed it would be best if a company did the system work, officials said.

Community essential services funds will be handled similarly to the Community Development Block Grant.

The city will put out a request for proposals from organizations that can utilize the funds.

“Hopefully, we get an application with some group that will help people with their emergency financial situations,” said Elyria Mayor Frank Whitfield. “We expect to see something around food, so helping people with food security during this time, and helping people with testing

by working with Lorain County Health & (Dentistry).”

City Hall officials still are planning on how the building can reopen safely, Whitfield said.

The opening will be slow to see how it works and foot traffic will be monitored, he said.

“It’ll be one way in that will serve as a check in, if you have something to drop off, drop it off, if you have to pay a bill, pay a bill and if you have to meet someone they can come down and get you or meet at the window,” Whitfield said.

Grants of up to $50,000 will be available to small businesses in the city.

Businesses will be required to describe how the money will help them respond to COVID-19, reopen or prepare to meet public safety guidelines.

Also, businesses will need to document how it spent the money.

All money from the CARES Act will need to be documented so the city can show both the federal and state governments the money was used appropriately.

Funding will be on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Applicants are to email covidbusiness@cityofelyria.org.

Allocated money will need to be used by Dec. 31 or it will be sent back.