Economic Stabilization Task Force (Sunset January 2021)

Economic Stabilization Task Force Appointed by the City & Borough of Juneau’s Mayor Meeting Agenda Thursday, December 17, 2020 3:00 p.m. Members of the public may listen in or watch by following one these options Please click the link to join the meeting: https://juneau.zoom.us/j/98373064272 or call 1-669-900-6833 or 1-253-215-8782 or 1-346-248-7799 or 1-929-436-2866 or 1- Assembly Charge 301-715-8592 or 1-312-626-6799, and enter The purpose of the task force is Webinar ID: 983 7306 4272 to review the economic landscape and make Send comments to Economic-Stabilization@juneau.org recommendations to the assembly. In particular, the Time Agenda Item Presenter task force should: 3:00 p.m. Call to Order Ms. Thomas 1. Examine federal and state 3:01 p.m. Approval of Agenda Ms. Thomas government financial assistance programs and 3:02 p.m. Approval of Minutes of Nov. 19 & Dec. 3 Open identify and prioritize any “gaps” that exist. 3:05 p.m. CARES Act Potential Relief for 2021 Mr. Mertz 2. Identify and promote 3:15 p.m. Task Force Wrap Up Review for 2020 Ms. Bell strategies that enable businesses to continue operations safely such as 3:45 p.m. Good of the Order Open curbside pick-up, take-away, delivery, and other innovative 4:00 p.m. Adjourn services. Additionally, explore strategies that enable businesses and Juneau’s economy to recover in the long term. 3. Act as Liaison with the Governor’s Alaska Economic Stabilization Team Max Mertz, Co-Chair • Linda Thomas, Co-Chair • Susan Bell • Theresa Belton • Bruce Botelho Eric Forst • Ken Koelsch • Lauren MacVay • Laura Martinson • Terra Peters  Economic Stabilization Task Force Appointed by the City & Borough of Juneau’s Mayor DRAFT Meeting Minutes from November 19, 2020 Call to Order The Economic Stabilization Task Force Meeting was called to order at 3:01 p.m. by Linda Thomas. Task Force Members Present: Linda Thomas, Max Mertz, Lauren MacVay, Laura Martinson, Susan Bell, Eric Forst, and Ken Koelsch. Task Force Members Absent: Theresa Belton, Bruce Botelho, and Terra Peters Staff Present: CBJ Finance Director, Jeff Rogers; Budget Analyst, Adrien Speegle; CBJ Administrative Assistant, Jensina Sundberg. CBJ Assembly Members Present: Loren Jones Special Guest Speakers: Executive Director of Catholic Community Services, Erin Walker-Tolles; Director of Shore Operations for Princess Cruises, Kirby Day. Approval of Agenda Ms. Thomas suggested an agenda change to move the Housing Assistance Grant update towards the end of the program so that Ms. Walker-Tolles could join as a guest speaker. Ms. Thomas asked for any other suggested changes to the agenda. MOTION: Ms. Thomas asked for any objections to the proposed agenda change. Hearing no objections, the motion was approved. Approval of Minutes MOTION: by Ms. Thomas to approve the Economic Stabilization Task Force meeting minutes from November 9, 2020. Mr. Forst seconded the motion. Hearing no objections, the motion was approved. Extreme Hardship Grant Mr. Mertz began by stating that that he and Mr. Rogers had a conversation concerning the eligibility criteria contained in Section 4(c)(3) of Ordinance 2020-09(U)(b). Mr. Mertz affirmed that this section requires businesses to have suffered at least a fifty percent loss in gross receipts for out-of-borough sales as well as in borough-sales. Mr. Mertz proposed the idea that grant applicants might be better served if the grant focused on local, net taxable revenue rather than gross receipts. Mr. Mertz then asked Mr. Rogers if he would like to add to this idea. Mr. Rogers stated that using taxable sales does not bring into the calculation the eligibility of sales that are exempt. The most significant exemptions are goods for resale, out of borough sales, and non-profit sales. He reiterated that initially using taxable sales made more sense, as it was a direct connection to CBJ revenue. The shift towards gross sales was intended to include businesses such as wholesalers, distributors, non-profits, and exporters who may have had a large volume of gross sales but not taxable sales. Mr. Rogers predicated that there are going to be winners and losers either way, and it is likely that moving to gross sales will induce a different set of issues for specific businesses. Using gross sales as a measure is a more broad approach, whereas taxable sales are a better approximation of sales that generate municipal revenue. Mr. Rogers reflected back to the original purpose of the ordinance, to assist industries that have been disproportionately affected by the COVID-19 pandemic- examples including hospitality, tourism, and service industries. Most of these industries qualify better under a taxable model, as most of the business they perform is taxable rather than exempt. He expressed that he has questioned whether it was possible to use both taxable and gross, however due to the proportionality that is not a feasible option. He stated it is necessary to have some metric for the proportionality, therefore it is not possible to use either taxable sales or gross sales. Mr. Rogers concluded that he is comfortable using either taxable or gross sales as an eligibility requirement. Ms. MacVay posed the question of whether it is a possible to have an exception for businesses who may not qualify under taxable but are profoundly impacted and would qualify under gross. Mr. Rogers responded by stating that an exception process can work, though it is hard to say how this would affect the calculation. A business could be qualified based on taxable or gross sales, however ultimately the proportionality determination will be based on the eligibility requirements in the ordinance. Ms. Martinson asked if it is possible to specify the exemption, specifically for retailers that do online business during the winter. Mr. Rogers expressed that it is possible to draw out a more complex criteria for eligibility and for proportionality, though doing so would create additional complexities and subjectivity within the ordinance. Mr. Mertz responded to Ms. Martinson by stating that most sales are happening inside the borough, and that out-of- borough sales may not have a significant impact, as most small local retailers often cater towards tourism during the summer months. He added that the denominator is being inflated when adding gross sales, potentially skewing towards the larger businesses. He asked Mr. Rogers if any of the bigger distributors have qualified for the Business Sustainability Grant. Mr. Rogers expressed that it does not appear many large, conventional wholesalers and distributors have applied for the Business Sustainability Grant Program, or that they were not qualified. Mr. Mertz agreed with Mr. Rogers in saying that it is important to have one or the other (taxable or gross,) and elaborated on the idea of ‘one off’ exception considerations to make sure businesses are not being excluded who are important to include. This would involve changing the exception language in Section 4(g) of the ordinance. An exception might allow a business to qualify that mathematically was excluded under taxable sales. Mr. Rogers summarized the proposed change by confirming that the Task Force has indicated that it desire is for businesses to qualify primarily under the taxable basis. It is possible for a business, as necessary, to qualify under gross, if the City Manager and grant administrator believe it to be warranted. The proportionality calculation will happen on a taxable basis, even for those businesses that qualified on a gross basis. MOTION: by Mr. Koelsch to amend Section 4(c)(3) of Ordinance 2020-09(U)(b) to strike “gross receipts” in the first sentence and replace it with “net taxable sales.” This change will also need to be incorporated in section 4(f) of the ordinance. The Task Force will include in their recommendation to the Assembly that they underscore the Manager’s authority to allow for an exception for those who wish to apply, yet have been mathematically excluded due to the change from gross sales to net taxable sales. Mr. Koelsch asked for unanimous consent. Hearing no objections, the motion was approved. Task Force Review Ms. Bell brought forward a proposal for an end-of- year Task Force report for the Assembly and public. She stated the report is intended to provide some context to the Economic Stabilization Task Force Charter and work approach, the committee members who served, and the number of initiatives that were recommended. Ms. Bell agreed to edit and finalize the document once information was compiled. Mr. Forst agreed that the Task Force review was an important document to compose, as it would give some historical context to people who may look back on this committee in the future as a ‘road map’ in the case of another crisis. Ms. Thomas mentioned that pulling information from the previous meeting minutes would be tedious, and asked if the committee could divide up the workload for greatest efficiency. Ms. Bell agreed that fact-finding groups should work together to gather information, as these groups had been previously designated and assigned. Ms. Thomas stated that it was a good idea to compile information before the next meeting (December 3, 2020) so that there is time for review, as there are only two meetings remaining before the end of the year. Public Comment Matrix Ms. MacVay stated that they did not receive any new comments from the public since the last meeting, therefore no Public Comment Matrix is presented. Good of the Order Delinquency Rates Ms. Thomas asked if there was anything that the Task Force believed needed to be addressed to be completed or analyzed before year end. Ms. MacVay mentioned that she was digging into delinquency rates, and stated that Juneau’s delinquency rates are higher than other Southeast Alaskan communities by a significant margin. She stated that the city delinquency rate is about 7.35%. She questioned the composition of that specific portfolio and what is being counted as delinquent, as well as other unknown variables. Ms. MacVay continued by saying that if this Task Force does get reconstituted next year with a new round of stimulus, housing will need to be analyzed as it will be a continued stressor and priority. Mr. Mertz asked Ms. MacVay if this percentage has gone up. Ms. MacVay responded that city delinquency rates have increased. Across the board, state data (up to September 30, 2020) indicated delinquency rates were still within expected margins, however with this year being a large anomaly, it is hard to compare from previous data. Child Care Ms. Martinson touched on daycare centers for children who are not yet in kindergarten, stating that most of them are running at about 50% capacity. This is largely due to an abundance of caution from both staff and parents, and that the care centers are having a difficult time staffing. Staffing issues are stemming from a combination of concerns due to COVID-19, employees who are more comfortable collecting unemployment, and from the work being low-wage and unbenefited. This is an issue that the community will continue to face, and most daycares do not have enough staff to operate at full capacity even if they wanted to. There is an ongoing survey for parents with children in kindergarten through fifth grade with about 500 respondents being sorted through. There are still fewer than 40 youths enrolled in RALLY, and there will be more information on this topic once the survey results are in. Ms. Martinson spoke briefly on some churches in the community implementing safe space ‘bubble learning,’ and that this strategy appears to be going well. Staffing Ms. MacVay stated that as employers, a large issue has been managing staff who have been exposed to COVID-19. She added that once new testing is available in December it would be beneficial to have an outreach guideline (potentially joint with the Juneau Chamber of Commerce) concerning how to handle staffing practices. She hopes that there will be more certainty once testing becomes more rapid. Extreme Hardship Grant Mr. Forst asked Mr. Rogers to update him on the process of the Extreme Hardship Grant timeline. Mr. Rogers responded by saying that the ordinance will be up for public hearing and adoption at the Monday, November 23, 2020 Assembly Meeting. If the Assembly adopts the ordinance, the Juneau Economic Development Council, (JEDC0 will take action as rapidly as possible, standing up an application process most likely within a week to 10 days. There is an advantage in that everyone who applies to the program, based on the language in the ordinance, will already have received a grant through either JEDC or the Juneau Community Foundation. Not having to address new circumstances will help speed up the application approval process. Mr. Rogers stated that he engineered the proportionality calculation, and he will help the process move along as smoothly as possible. Mr. Rogers expressed that JEDC is doing well and moving as quickly as possible, however they have a lot on their plate. The decision to move through JEDC was a staffing decision. Disbandment Mr. Koelsch began by stating that the Task Force will be disbanded December 31, 2020 unless there is an extension. Mr. Koelsch mentioned that it is necessary to be cognizant of passing on suggestions and information to whoever may be taking the place of this committee. He added that someone will need to birddog the bond package, and he wondered whether there is a timeline for projects such as the school roofing. He expressed concern of what will happen post December 31, 2020 once programs and projects that were receiving funds will no longer be receiving them, and may be without guidance. Mr. Rogers responded to Mr. Koelsch, stating that the bond package went in front of the Public Works and Facilities Committee on Monday, November 16, 2020. The bond package will also be on the Wednesday, December 9, 2020 Assembly Finance Committee meetings’ agenda for review. He elaborated that there likely will be an advance on bond proceeds for Public Works and Engineering to begin the design of work projects. The rapidness of these projects getting underway directly correlates with the capacity contractors have with local staff. Currently, the contractor community is fairly tapped. Once capacity is exceeded, it is common to get project bids back that are unrealistic, as they are coming from out-of-borough. The speed of these projects getting underway is tied to the capacity that contractors have with local staff and labor. Mr. Rogers stated that the Public Works and Engineering department believes the projects will be complete within the next two to three years. Mr. Mertz added onto Mr. Koelsch’s concern, hypothesizing that given the political state in Washington D.C it is highly unlikely that there will be additional stimulus between now and Inauguration Day. He reiterated that there will be a significant amount of stress in the community during this time, and posed the question as to what will happen to businesses in town once the liquidity in the market breaks down and whether Juneau is aptly prepared. Housing Assistance Grant Update Ms. Walker-Tolles provided an update on the Housing Assistance Grant Program. She stated that Catholic Community Services has requested CBJ disburse just under $700,000 for eligible grant applications. This is currently for 379 households. She stated that overall 1,250 applications have been received thus far, with about 600 more applications to process. Ms. Walker-Tolles mentioned that an interesting population group are those who are unemployed not due to COVID-19, which raises the question of eligibility. She elaborated that people who are unemployed are eligible as long as they can prove they made a good faith effort to find employment, though checking this eligibility factor requires more extensive follow-up. Ms. Walker-Tolles reiterated that this program is intended for folks who actively searched for employment rather than those who assumed there would be none. There was a second surge in applications, leading Ms. Walker-Tolles to believe that the second round of publicity made an impact. There have been fliers made in Tagalog and Spanish, which will be sent out November 20, 2020. If the Assembly decides to add the additional $1,000 per eligible applicant for rent or mortgage assistance, she believes they will be very close to expending the full $3.0 million grant appropriation. Ms. Walker-Tolles added that she is receiving messages from community members saying they wish the Assembly would increase the income limit, as families over $94,000 household income have needs as well. Ms. Walker-Tolles stated that because of the way the ordinance is written there must be eligible household expenses from August through December in order to qualify for the grant. There are some folks who did not receive the full $1,500 for rent or mortgage expenses because they were already on subsidized housing. As long as an individual is paying at least $300 per month in rent or mortgage, they will receive the full $1,500 benefit. If this is increased to $2,500 for housing assistance, a person must be paying at least $500 a month to qualify. She would like the Task Force to be aware that there may be people who are expecting to get more money than they will qualify for, however the majority of people will be eligible. 2021 Cruise Ship Season Update Mr. Day began by stating that the CDC, rather than reinstituting a no sail order, came out with framework guidelines for the cruise ship industry restart sailings. He mentioned that having something to focus on as an industry is a positive note, though pieces of the guidelines need clarification. There needs to be elaboration and clarification on the process of certifying ships, practice sailings, testing sites at embarkation and disembarkation, how to operate shore excursions, medical aspects in each ports, etc. Hopefully the ports as a region can come together to establish local protocols that will be similar enough to maintain homogeny as an industry. Mr. Day emphasized that he wanted businesses to think ahead and imagine what the season would be like if cruises and businesses were only allowed to operate at a reduced capacity. There are countless health and safety scenarios that need to be preemptively planned accordingly before the beginning of the 2021 cruise season. Ms. Thomas wrapped up the Good of the Order with the sentiment that there is a lot of work to be done when looking towards the economic recovery of Juneau for years to come. Adjourn At 4:08 p.m. the meeting was adjourned.  Economic Stabilization Task Force Appointed by the City & Borough of Juneau’s Mayor DRAFT Meeting Minutes from December 3, 2020 Call to Order The Economic Stabilization Task Force Meeting was called to order at 3:01 p.m. by Max Mertz. Task Force Members Present: Max Mertz, Terra Peters, Lauren MacVay, Laura Martinson, Ken Koelsch, Eric Forst, Susan Bell, Bruce Botelho, and Theresa Belton. Task Force Members Absent: Linda Thomas CBJ Staff Present: CBJ Finance Director, Jeff Rogers; CBJ Budget Analyst, Adrien Speegle; CBJ Emergency Operations Planning Chief, Robert Barr; CBJ Administrative Assistant, Jensina Sundberg CBJ Assembly Members Present: Mayor Beth Weldon, Loren Jones Special Guest Speakers: Executive Director of Catholic Community Services, Erin Walker-Tolles; CBJ Emergency Operations Planning Chief, Robert Barr Approval of Agenda Mr. Mertz asked for any changes to the agenda, and hearing none, asked for a motion to approve the agenda. MOTION: by Mr. Botelho to approve the agenda. Hearing no objections, the motion was approved. Approval of Minutes Mr. Botelho did not receive minutes to review for approval. Mr. Mertz suggested approving the November 19, 2020 minutes at the Task Force’s next meeting: December 17, 2020. COVID-19 Testing Status Mr. Barr provided an update on COVID-19 detection testing. Mr. Barr stated that a new COVID-19 testing machine is currently in route from Seattle, and is scheduled to arrive for installation at Bartlett Regional Hospital the week of December 14. Installation will be a four-day process, followed by a training period for staff, and a few weeks to preform validation with control samples to make sure the machine is detecting positive and negative samples accurately. Once the new detection machine is established, it has the capacity to execute three to four hundred COVID-19 tests per eight-hour shift. Test results will be available in the ballpark range of 18 to 36 hours after a specimen has been received. Mr. Barr stated that all Juneau testing has recently been transferred to the commercial lab being used at the airport, which is operating very efficiently. The lab is able to do two- to three-day turnarounds on test samples. Additionally, some limited rapid-testing has come from the State Emergency Operations Center, which has aided in preventing some Juneau outbreaks from spreading. Some of these rapid tests were used recently on crews heading to Haines to provide support with the ongoing landslide tragedy. The Juneau airport has a request for proposal out from the State that provides airport testing going into 2021. CBJ is not bidding on this contract, and it is likely a new commercial vendor will step in to take leadership of airport testing operations sometime in January. Mr. Barr hopes to encourage the new vendor to hire a number of the temporary staff who have been working with testing operations for the past months, as they understand the procedures and are efficient in running operations. Mr. Barr stated that vaccine planning prioritization and distribution efforts are a priority. It is expected to see a vaccine from Pfizer, followed by Moderna, in mid-December, and hopefully administration will begin from middle to late December. It is expected that Pfizer will get emergency use authorization as early as December 11, with Moderna following. There are defined initial phases of distribution, with the first phase (A), targeting healthcare workers and first responders. Phase B will target essential workers, with broad categories defined by the Center for Disease Control and the State Department of Health and Human Services. Local entities will be responsible for applying the broad categories to specific populations. Ms. MacVay asked Mr. Barr how many days after exposure could the new machine at Bartlett detect COVID-19 antibodies. Mr. Barr responded that two days after exposure is a minimum for detection systems, though incubation periods vary from person to person. Mr. Forst asked Mr. Barr how he anticipated the population size of Juneau will affect vaccine distribution, as Juneau has a smaller population and far fewer frontline workers than many other cities. Mr. Barr stated that he believes Juneau will receive the vaccine in a proportional manner. He has heard speculation that the state of Alaska may see approximately 30-35 thousand batches in the first round of vaccine distribution. If this is the case, Juneau could see one to two thousand doses in the first round of distribution. He noted that one thousand doses will not cover the population of frontline workers in Juneau. Housing Assistance and Individual Hardship Grants Ms. Walker-Tolles provided an update on the Housing Assistance and Individual Hardship Grant programs. As of December 3, she has received about two thousand applications for the Housing Assistance program, with more coming in each day. Overall, 922 applications have been thoroughly completed and processed. Of those, 70% are deemed eligible, 8% are determined to be ineligible, 2.7% of applications were incomplete, and 16% require an in-person response in order to finish processing. Ms. Walker-Tolles fully expects the Housing Assistance Grant to expend the $3 million allocation. Ms. Walker-Tolles will provide the Economic Stabilization Task Force with a sum total of how much funding has been authorized to date so the city can decide if the program should be eligible to receive more funding. Ms. Walker-Tolles also provided an update on the Individual Hardship Grant. Advertisements for the grant will begin circulation within the week. The Individual Hardship Grant program will open at 10 a.m. on December 8, and will close on December 18. Applications will be posted online and available in person at City Hall. Publicity for the Individual Hardship Grant will be very similar to publicity for the Housing Assistance Grant, as staff is already in place and understands the process. Unlike the application for Housing Assistance, the Individual Hardship application allows for self-attestation of COVID-19 hardship, which Ms. Walker-Tolles believes will help the application process progress more fluidly, as applicants will not need to attach supplemental documentation. Mr. Rogers elaborated on the potential of allocating additional funding for the Housing Assistance Grant program. At the Assembly Finance Committee meeting on December 9, Mr. Rogers will present an updated chart indicating CARES Act funding remaining for 2020. Mr. Rogers believes that, if Ms. Walker- Tolles stated that the Housing Assistance program was going well and requested additional funding, the Committee may consider expanding the funds available. According to information presented by Mr. Rogers, CBJ’s $53 million CARES Act funding has not been entirely spent. There is still approximately $300,000 unallocated, and it is expected that some programs will have funding remaining. Mr. Rogers also stated that there have been calls to Assembly members requesting that the Business Sustainability Grant program be reopened to new applicants. Mr. Rogers responded to committee questions. Mr. Forst proposed recommending the Assembly reopen the Business Sustainability Grant program for a brief period in order to give businesses that may have missed the initial application period a chance to apply. He presented the idea that leftover funding could potentially be distributed proportionally, or be rolled into the Extreme Hardship Grant program. MOTION: by Ms. MacVay to recommend the Assembly re-open the Business Sustainability Grant Program application period to new applicants for a brief period of time. The length of the reopening period would be determined by City staff. OBJECTION: By Mr. Koelsch, who stated that he does not want to spend money when not absolutely necessary when other needs, such as COVID-19 expenditures and funding at the hospital, are still unknown. Mr. Koelsch stated he would rather have money left for future determination than re-open the Business Sustainability Grant. ROLL CALL VOTE ON MOTION Ayes: Mertz, Botelho, Forst, MacVay, Martinson, Bell, and Peters Nays: Koelsch Motion passed. Seven (7) Ayes, One (1) Nay MOTION: by Mr. Forst to recommend the Assembly to reallocate excess Business Sustainability Grant program funds, after the reopening period has closed, to the Extreme Hardship Grant program. If the Assembly chooses not to reopen the Business Sustainability Grant program to new applicants, the Economic Stabilization Task Force recommends the full unspent balance of the Business Sustainability Grant program be reallocated to the Extreme Hardship Grant program. Ms. Martinson seconded the motion. OBJECTION: by Mr. Koelsch and Mr. Botelho. Mr. Botelho agreed with Mr. Koelsch in remarking that he has concerns about making sure government needs are met in pandemic response, as some financial needs are not clear yet and he does not want to spend money for the sake of spending it. Mr. Forst expressed that he appreciated Mr. Botelho’s perspective, and asked Mr. Rogers to clarify whether there is a timeline that money needs to be spent. Mr. Forst pointed out that there are three weeks left in December to allocate the remaining funding, and that if the funds need to be spent by December 31, 2020, that reallocation is the most favorable way to aid the community. Mr. Rogers clarified by stating that in January of 2021, if there is remaining funding, he would offer to reimburse the hospital for expenses incurred during the eligible period of March 1 to December 30, 2020. At the end of the day, it would net CBJ a general funds saving, as CBJ will have to continue paying for pandemic-related emergency costs, including testing, after the first of January. Mr. Mertz expressed the sentiment that this is a difficult decision and that he can see both sides. He stated that he believes we have a cold winter and a difficult spring ahead for a lot of businesses in Juneau. Ms. Martinson stated that she believes the Extreme Hardship Grant gets funding directly into the hands of people in the community, which is what this committee is obligated to do. ROLL CALL VOTE ON MOTION Ayes: Mertz, Forst, MacVay, Martinson, Peters, and Bell Nays: Botelho, Koelsch Motion passed. Six (6) Ayes, Two (2) Nays ArtWorks Grant Press Release Mr. Mertz provided an update on the ArtWorks Grant press release, on packet page 9. He stated that there was no discussion to follow, but he felt it important that Task Force members be able to view the list of art programs that have benefited from the grant. Perseverance Theatre Grant Mr. Rogers stated that Mayor Weldon received an inquiry request from Perseverance Theatre concerning the availability of remaining CARES Act funding. Perseverance Theatre is in a unique position, and is unlike other arts and culture nonprofits in Juneau. Most arts and culture nonprofit organizations do not have full-time staffing or buildings, and are able to operate by renting venues such as schools and churches. Conversely, Perseverance Theatre owns two buildings, and has more than six full time, year- round staff. They have tried to retain staff and continue paying upkeep on the two buildings, which is further exacerbating financial strain brought on by COVID-19. Perseverance Theatre is a cultural touchstone in Juneau, and Mr. Rogers emphasized that no one would want to wake up after the pandemic to see that their doors are shut forever. Perseverance has already benefited from the Business Sustainability Grant program and received the maximum allocation, but even with help is in a dire financial situation. Mr. Rogers calculated that total economic harm is around $412 thousand. After governmental support, program reductions, the CBJ non-profit grant, the Rasmuson Foundation Matching Grant, and the Extreme Hardship Grant, Mr. Rogers has calculated that remaining economic harm is resting at slightly more than $85 thousand. Mayor Weldon added that Perseverance Theatre is set apart by not offering educational components, such as lessons, that are allowing other arts and culture nonprofits to gain business and economic stimulation. MOTION: by Mr. Forst to positively recommend the grant to Perseverance to the Assembly as proposed, for $85,738. The motion was seconded by Mr. Botelho. The motion passed by unanimous consent. Task Force Review Ms. Bell provided an update on the Task Force review, regarding the final two pages in the packet. Ms. Bell stated that she is trying to find the most consistent approach to documenting Task Force work, Assembly actions, and Assembly recommendations. She stated that it would be ideal for the pre- determined fact finding groups to create a succinct summarization of the work that has been completed for their specific sections. The Task Force Review document contains six bulleted points that should be included in each section summary to maintain consistent information. Ms. Bell asked the Committee if they believed this was sufficient framework to begin compilation and working on creating a document. Mr. Botelho suggested that an appendix be added on to the Task Force Review that includes all ordinances that were adopted. He also suggested creating an example template to send out to Task Force members. Ms. MacVay agreed that a template would be helpful, and suggested beginning with rental assistance. Mr. Botelho volunteered to do the Conservation Corporation as an example template to aid others in consistency. Mr. Mertz suggested getting the templates finalized and shared before the next ESTF meeting on December 17, so that any questions that arise can be addressed. Public Comment Matrix Ms. Macvay stated that the Task Force did not receive any new comments from the public since the last meeting, therefore no Public Comment Matrix is presented. Good of the Order Ms. Bell extended praise to Ms. Martinson and all others who are doing everything they can to support local businesses. Adjourn At 4:25 the meeting was adjourned. Mayor’s Economic Stabilization Task Force DRAFT REPORT OUTLINE AND FORMAT When report sections are done, please email Susan and copy Linda and Max. Susan Bell : sbell@mckinleyresearch.com Linda Thomas: lthomas@alaskanbeer.com Max Mertz: max@mertzcpa.com Table of Contents Date Page # Implemented or addressed Task Force Initiatives Recommendations/ Ordinances Implemented a. Ordinance-Short Term Rental Assistance Lauren, Laura, Bruce b. Ordinance-Childcare Financial Assistance Laura, Terra, Theresa c. Ordinance-Business & Nonprofit Stabilization Grants Max, Susan d. Ordinance-Nonprofit Stabilization Grants Linda, Terra e. Ordinance-Juneau Conservation Corps Program Bruce f. Ordinance- Juneau Arts program Max g. Ordinance – Mortgage and rental Assistance Grant Max h. Ordinance – Extreme Business Hardship Max i. Recommendation-Infrastructure projects Bruce, Ken j. Recommendation – Meal Delivery Program Linda k. Recommendation: Education & Childcare Bruce, Laura, Ken l. Recommendation: Juneau Cares (Travel Juneau) m. Recommendation: Testing Pilot (AK Brewing) n. Recommendation Safe Space for Schooling o. Recommendation: SE AK Foodbank Recommendations in Progress: a. Summer Tourism with Cruise Industry Bruce, Ken b. Post Secondary Education Grant Max, Linda, Susan Other Actions/Initiatives a. Historical Documentation of Covid 19 Crisis  Bruce b. c. Recommendation to AIDEA about exclusions for PPP/EIDL Max, Lauren c. Business to Business Support and Mentoring Max, Lauren, Linda – referred to Chamber d. Business Safety/PPE Lauren, Theresa e. Cruise Ship Protocol Ken, Eric, Laura f. Restaurant and Bar protocol Eric, Terra, Max g. Additional Business Loan Program Lauren, Terra h. Commercial Water and Sewer Utility Payor Relief i. Support Local and Save Max j. Shop Local Campaign Eric, Terra – JEDC Initiative k. Homelessness Linda, Terra, Eric l. Workforce Development and Training Theresa, Laura, Susan Appendices: A. Task Force Public Meetings and Attendance B. Timeline of Key Dates C. Pie Chart of Task Force Recommendations implemented and other CBJ Funding as XX date D. Public Comment Matrix E. Research and Other information submitted to Assembly or in public discussion Abstract with items discussed and provided to the public… Treasury Act Guidance, Cares act and insurance, Juneau Businesses dealing with Covid and Mitigation Plans, Links to Ak. Mun. League, Ak. States Cares act loans/grants, etc., Juneau Economic Plan, Mental Health update, Life-Med, etc. Example 1 E. Covid-19 Conservation Corps This initiative proposed creation of an employment training program for people furloughed, unemployed, or underemployed due to COVID-19. Lead Task Force Member(s) Bruce Botelho Summary of Issue Juneau’s private sector economy is driven in no small part by tourism. Until the COVID‐19 pandemic, Juneau expected to receive 1.5 million visitors on cruise ships between May and October 2020. A combination of governmental directives led cruise lines to cancel the entire season. The consequence of that action was several‐fold: (a) Numerous businesses directly serving visitors had to close—some perhaps permanently—because of the inability to bridge the income gap created between October 2019 and May 2021; (b) Hundreds of individuals who rely on the summer season for employment were without work or income; (c) Local sales tax revenues would decline precipitously; (d) Businesses outside of the visitor industry would suffer secondary losses; and, (e) The non‐profit sector which relies on grants and voluntary giving would suffer loses to their funding base. Recommendation to CBJ On May 28, 2020 and on June 4, 2020, the Economic Stabilization Task Force recommended that the CBJ fund, as a pilot employment project, the Juneau Outdoor Service Program in the amount of $1 million. The JOS Program (popularly known as the “Covid-19 Conservation Corps” or “CCC”) would fund outdoor recreational projects undertaken by three entities: Trail Mix, Inc., Eaglecrest Ski Area, and CBJ Parks and Recreation. Working with these organizations the ESTF identified the following representative projects: (a) Continuing trail improvements to the Treadwell Ditch Trail; (b) Expansion of the Eaglecrest Bike Trail; (c) Improved trail to Cropley Lake; (d) Bridge improvements on Perseverance and DuPont trails and Amalga Meadows; and, (e) Placement of one or more cabins or shelters on CBJ remote lands. Assembly Action On June 8, 2020 the Assembly introduced Ordinance 2019-06(AH), “An Ordinance Appropriating up to $1,000,000 to the Manager for a COVID19 Conservation Corps Program; Funding Provided by the CARES Act Special Revenue Fund.” The ordinance was adopted at a special meeting held on June 17, 2020. Comments While a complete inventory of activities undertaken is not yet available, the following outlines representative projects: Eaglecrest: Another 500 feet of trail on the high alpine Dicks Lake trail has been completed, representing approximately ¾ of that trail. The new lower mountain bike trail segment named Pipeline has been completed and is now open for the public. Crews have roughed in 1200 feet of the new upper mountain bike trail and are starting the finish work on the trail, while the pioneering of the trail continues to the top of the Hooter Chair. Three crews rotated through work on the mountain bike trial, the Dicks Lake Trail, and vegetation management on the ski trails with chainsaws and brush cutters. Trail Mix: (in progress) Example 2 G. Short Term Rental Assistance (Emergency Resolution 2889) Rental assistance in response to COVID related economic stress. Lead Task Force Member(s) Lauren, Laura, Bruce Summary of Issue The City Assembly anticipated housing distress and proposed an ordinance to establish a COVID related rent relief program to be administered by AHDC. At that point, eviction moratoriums were in place and CARES Act relief programs were launching. These provisions, and others, created a net providing support to renters in distress, but it was very difficult to assess what the true need in the community would be over the coming months. The Task Force concluded that while it was reasonable to expect that people would be in need of immediate assistance, it was impossible to quantify current need in the community. Recommendation to CBJ The Task Force recommended modifications to the original ordinance that emphasized need, and recommended a Letter of Intent to capture “guard rails” on the program. Provisions in the Letter of Intent included limits on funding gaps vs whole rent amount, excluding renters already in government services, and return of unencumbered funds to the city upon maturity of the program. Assembly Action Ordinance was passed establishing the program on…(TBC). Comments # Served $ issued $ returned to city No further action recommended. Template for Additional Initiatives For each initiative, please summarize the following information in 1-2 pages. Initiative Name Brief description of issue. Lead Task Force Member(s) Names. Summary of Issue Summarize problem to be addressed. Recommendation to CBJ Recommendation to Assembly or CBJ staff. Assembly Action Action taken, including ordinance title, funding, supporting agency, other key information. Comments Summarize results, impacts, recommended future action.