Yesterday during a virtual emergency meeting, the Heath City Council unanimously approved a local business stimulus program recently developed and also unanimously approved by the Heath Economic Development Corporation(HEDC) and Heath Municipal Benefits Corporation (HMBC). The program will tap up to $500,000 of the HMBC fund to provide monetary relief to businesses within the city that are experiencing financial hardship due to the covid-19 pandemic.
“This is absolutely the right thing to do, and we applaud our talented EDC board members for their hard and fast work to bring relief to the businesses who have contributed to our community in so many ways from sales tax contributions to quality of life,” said Mayor Kelson Elam.
“Our program will provide qualified businesses needed funds that bridge the gap until other forms of state and federal financial assistance such as the CARE-Act are received,” said David Lane, HEDC/HMBC president. “By helping cover expenses today, our long-term goal is to ensure that these valuable businesses and their employees are ready and fully operational when allowed to return to business as usual.”
According to Lane, the City and HEDC/HMBC are finalizing the program application and criteria. “We will move as quickly as possible to define the program, put it in motion, make decisions, and bring the required relief to our Heath businesses,” he said. “The entire Board has already been proactive in reaching out to our business community, discussing immediate needs as a basis for the program, and look forward to rewarding follow-up calls explaining that the program is now a reality.”
More information and the application will be made available in the coming days.
