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November 15, 2024

Talbot Spy

Nonpartisan Education-based News for Talbot County Community

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Talbot County Approves Final CARES Grant Allocations

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On December 8, Emergency Services Director Clay Stamp appeared before the Talbot County Council to seek approval for the final allocations of the County’s CARES Act funding.

This comes as jurisdictions around the country race to spend the last of the federal funding from the Coronavirus Aid Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act.

Talbot County, though, is steadily working the recovery plan it set in motion in May 2020.

“We don’t want to send back any money that would benefit our citizens,” says Council President Chuck Callahan. “Our team has worked hard to make sure that we have distributed the money where it is needed in our community — to the most vulnerable among us and directly to the business community.”

Early on, Talbot County appointed an executive team to oversee the distribution of funds.Members include Councilman Corey Pack, County Manager Andy Hollis, Emergency Services Director Clay Stamp, Finance Director Angela Lane, and Health Officer Fredia Wadley, M.D.

Of the $6.4 million allocated to the county, $3.2 million was earmarked for the Talbot County Health Department to use for public health initiatives related to the COVID-19 pandemic. The balance was to be spent by the Talbot County government for expenses directly related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In the initial plan, the executive team allocated $1.2 million for a business grant program and another $1.2 million funded the county’s individual assistance program.

Additional funds were set aside for the Emergency Operations Center and Emergency Services to make substantial PPE purchases, to cover sheltering for emergency personnel with COVID-19 exposure, and to cover costs related to providing food to those in need. The balance was held in reserve for other expenses.

“Our executive team has helped us find true north when there were decisions to be made,” says Stamp. “We designed a plan that allowed us to both meet the needs of our citizens and be flexible enough to respond to unexpected needs.”

As December 30 and the end of the grant period approaches, the county’s CARES executive team finalized its plan for spending the estimated balance of funds in a way that maximizes the response on behalf of county residents and complies with the grant terms.

The proposal includes the following:

• Hazard pay for public safety employees for the period Talbot County was under a State  of Emergency (March 16 – June 30, 2020) – $367,000

• Grants to volunteer fire departments of up to $30,000 per department for their preparedness response as they continue to serve amid the pandemic – $190,000

• Mobile triage unit for Emergency Services to support the emergency public health response and vaccine delivery – $158,000

• Emergency assistance to Neighborhood Service Center for retention of a COVID-19 assistance staff position if state funding cut is made in CY20 – $5,000

The proposal also recommends the reallocation of funds in underused line items. Those expenditures include:

• Additional funding for small business grants to address unmet needs among county businesses and nonprofit organizations – $250,000

• Distribution of free holiday meals and small grants to the five standing food pantries in the county, as well as facility use cost to Easton Elks Lodge #1622 for mobile pantries -$53,000

• Mental Health First Aid care for Emergency Services personnel – $9,000

Finance Director Angela Lane notes that the proposed plan is based on projections with the final distribution from the Individual Assistance Program including child care assistance being highly variable. During the fall, the Department of Social Services was only receiving 12 applications per week. They are now receiving 17 applications per day, which represent varying levels of financial need.

The county council unanimously supported the distribution of the remaining funds and voted 5-0 to approve the plan.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Last Chance to Apply as Talbot County Allocates More Funds for CARES Grants

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Those businesses and nonprofit organizations that have not already received a grant of up to $10,000 from the Talbot CARES Emergency Relief Small Business Grant program have one last chance to apply.

“Talbot County has reinvested more than $1.1 million of its CARES funding into the business community,” Cassandra Vanhooser, director of the Talbot County Department of Economic Development and Tourism, said in a statement. “With the files we currently have under review, we are on track to distribute the entire $1.2 million allocated for small businesses by the first week of December.”

By law, funds from the CARES Act must be distributed by Dec. 31. Unused funds must be returned to the State of Maryland.

When county officials recently tallied receipts, they realized that not all of the money would be spent by the deadline. Vanhooser advocated for some of the money to be transferred into the grant program for small businesses.

Additional Grant Funding Available

“I get calls almost every day from business owners asking for assistance, and I was having to tell people that our money had been distributed,” Vanhooser said. “Thankfully, we were fortunate enough to receive an additional $250,000 of the money the county received from the CARES Act.”

Any business or nonprofit with less than 50 employees that hasn’t yet received a grant and can show a 25% loss of revenue caused by COVID-19 is eligible to apply. But the clock is ticking.

If you are planning to apply, you must act quickly. The department began accepting new submissions online Nov. 30. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis until 5 p.m. Dec. 11. Every file is dated and time stamped and will be considered in the order received.

The requirements are fairly straightforward, Vanhooser said. But it is absolutely essential that anyone who plans to apply have complete financial documents ready before they apply.

Application Requirements

Businesses must be in good standing with the State of Maryland, and they must not owe any taxes. In addition, businesses must submit the following:

• a completed application;

• comparative monthly profit and loss statement for 2019 and 2020;

• most recent business tax returns; and

• a signed W-9 IRS Form

Grant recipients may use the money to offset business losses caused by the pandemic. Qualifying expenditures include rent or mortgage payments, utilities, inventory, personal protective equipment, enhanced cleaning protocols, and upgrades designed to limit person-to-person contact. Each business that receives a grant must also submit a final report detailing how it spent the funds.

“This money has an expiration date,” County Council President Corey Pack said in a statement. “Talbot County has until Dec. 30 to disperse the remainder of the CARES funding. We encourage any business that still needs assistance and has not yet applied to get their application in as soon as possible.”

The Talbot County Department of Economic Development and Tourism and the Talbot County Finance Office together are administering the program. An online application form can be found at TalbotWorks.org, along with information about other business resources. For more information, call 410-770-8000.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Talbot Seeks Applicants for COVID-19 Relief

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Linda Webb, director of the Talbot County Department of Social Services, recently briefed the Talbot County Council on the individual assistance program to help county residents with unemployment, lost income, or added childcare expenses as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

This video is about 13 minutes long.

Applications for the individual assistance program must be received by Dec. 15 in order for payments to be processed by Dec. 31, when the program ends.

The social services department provides the following information about the assistance program online:

What is the CARES Individual Assistance Program?

This program provides emergency cash assistance to county residents who are out of work or whose income has been reduced due to the COVID-19 public health emergency. CARES assistance can help with rent, mortgage or other housing costs, utilities, childcare costs related to virtual schooling, some car payments, and other emergency needs. Payments are made directly to the landlord, mortgage company, utility company, or other vendor.

This program can now assist with up to two months of car payments. Plus, a second program offers help with additional childcare expenses associated with virtual school attendance. There is no requirement for loss of income with the child care program.

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act was passed by Congress to provide economic assistance for workers, families, and small businesses, and preserve jobs. Some of these funds were distributed to States and then to local governments. Talbot County, Maryland has set aside a portion of these funds to provide individual assistance as described above.

Who is eligible for the CARES Individual Assistance Program?

Talbot County residents who are unable to meet an expense between March 16, 2020 – December 30, 2020 because of the current COVID-19 public health emergency may apply. There is no income restriction for this program. Apply now – do not wait for eviction, foreclosure notice, or utility cut off to see if you qualify!

How do I apply?

The application is available here and from the Talbot County Department of Social Services. While the DSS office is closed to the public to slow the spread of COVID-19, applications can be obtained by calling 410.820.4347 and leaving a message including your phone number. Your call will be returned by the next business day and we can mail, fax, or email an application to you.

Mail the completed application or place in the drop box at:

Talbot County Department of Social Services
301 Bay Street, Unit 5
Easton, MD 21601

Fax to 410.820.7117

Email to [email protected].

Applications are also available at these locations:

Neighborhood Service Center
126 Port Street, Easton, MD 21601
Walk-ins welcome (limited access) 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday – Friday
Or call 410.822.5015
Or email [email protected]

St Vincent de Paul Society
29533 Canvasback Drive
Easton, MD 21601
1-4 p.m. Tuesdays; 9 a.m-noon Saturdays
Or call 410.770.4505 and leave message asking for information on this program.

How do I find out more?

For more information on the CARES Individual Assistance Program, please call 410.820.4347 and leave a message, including your phone number. Your call will be returned by the next business day.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

As COVID-19 Cases Spike, Hogan Provides More Economic Aid

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As the coronavirus continues to surge across the nation, Gov. Lawrence J. Hogan Jr. (R) dispensed more federal money to boost the state’s emergency response to the virus.

“The sad truth is that the next several months will likely be by far, the most difficult that we have faced,” Hogan said in a State House news conference late Thursday afternoon. “Unfortunately we have more tough times ahead of us, and it’s going to get worse before it gets better.”

On Thursday, the state reported a positivity rate of 5.65%, the highest it’s been since May 27, as well as an additional 1,477 cases over past 24 hours. For nine days in a row, the state has reported over 1,000 new daily cases.

Maryland is currently in the “red zone” for COVID-19 cases as designated by the federal government, along with many other states, Hogan said. The average number of cases per 100,000 residents has risen to 22.8, which is a 52% increase in just the last seven days.

On Sunday, Maryland’s coronavirus positivity rate passed the 5% benchmark, a metric set by the Centers for Disease Control and World Health Organization to track the spread of COVID-19, for the first time since June 25, and has only increased since then.

Half of Maryland’s jurisdictions have positivity rates higher than this benchmark: Allegany, Anne Arundel, Baltimore City, Baltimore County, Charles, Frederick, Garrett, Harford, Prince George’s, Queen Anne’s, Somerset and Washington.

In response to the recent spike in cases, Hogan announced an additional $70 million in state spending through the federal CARES Act:

  • $20 million for a strategic stockpile of personal protective equipment; Maryland currently has a 90-day supply, Hogan said.
  • $15 million for more staffing support in call centers, customer service and fraud detection programming in the Maryland Department of Labor
  • $10 million for rental assistance for low-income tenants
  • $10 million for vaccination planning and equipment, such as syringes
  • $10 million for food banks
  • $2 million for the Maryland Department of Human Services for foster care assistance
  • $2 million to the Maryland Department of Human Services for food (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) and energy assistance
  • $1 million to sample wastewater to test for coronavirus outbreaks in vulnerable communities

Hogan urged the counties to spend their remaining CARES Act funding as soon as possible, emphasizing that the money would be forfeited if not spent by the end of the year. “We have a desperate need right now,” Hogan said.

Hospitalizations due to the coronavirus increased by 53% in the last two weeks, with 863 patients currently hospitalized in Maryland, which is the highest level since June 11. Meanwhile, 199 patients are in intensive care units in Maryland.

The number of COVID-19 related hospitalizations in the nation surged to its highest to over 65,000 patients on Wednesday.

“We are experiencing an out of control spike across the United States and we are seeing widespread community transmission here in Maryland,” Hogan said.

Even so, Dr. Jinlene Chan, deputy secretary of public health services for the Department of Health, and Hogan said the state’s health metrics for reopening schools have not changed.

“It [school reopening decisions] ultimately is the decision of the local school board in conjunction with the local health department,” Chan said. She encouraged school districts to balance the needs of education and mental health for children.

As funding from the Paycheck Protection Program and CARES Act trickles out, Hogan blamed Congress for its inability to reach a compromise on the next COVID-19 stimulus package.

“We’re very, very concerned with the continued gridlock, divisiveness and dysfunction in Washington, while people’s lives are at stake and people’s economic lives and their mental health,” Hogan said.

As “people in the White House are focused on fighting elections and the people in the Biden administration don’t have any information…there’s a little bit of a vacuum right now,” Hogan said.

In the spring, the state had to rent an ice rink as funeral homes and morgues became overloaded with people who had died from COVID-19, Hogan recalled. “We do not want to be in that situation again,” he said.

On Tuesday, Hogan reduced dine-in capacity for bars and restaurants from 75% to 50%, advised against traveling to states with a positivity rate above 10% and encouraged telework.

He said his goal is to keep as much of the economy open as possible, but so is preventing the hospitals from overflowing. “Might we have to take more restrictive action over the coming weeks or months? Absolutely, we might,” Hogan said.

By Elizabeth Shwe

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

After Delay, Md. to Release COVID-19 Funds Intended for Smaller Counties

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It took weeks of prodding, but Maryland’s small counties will soon begin receiving federal COVID-19 funds from the state.

Department of Management and Budget Secretary David Brinkley informed county leaders of the Hogan administration’s decision to release the funds on Monday afternoon, in a memo obtained by Maryland Matters.

The decision means $182 million in federal funds intended to help local health departments and hard-hit small businesses will begin to flow to Maryland’s smallest counties.

The CARES Act, the federal legislation providing novel coronavirus funding to the states, stipulated that counties with populations of 500,000 or more would receive aid directly. The measures mandated that small counties apply to their governor.

That requirement left 19 Maryland counties wondering whether — and when — they would receive federal funds, a development that caused weeks of tension between local leaders and the Hogan administration, a reliable source said.

“I don’t understand why the smaller jurisdictions are treated differently than the larger jurisdictions,” said Montgomery County Executive Marc B. Elrich (D).

Although Montgomery, Prince George’s, Baltimore and Anne Arundel counties received federal funds directly, the leaders from all five subdivisions signed a May 1 letter to Hogan urging him to release bottle-necked funds to their smaller brethren. (Officials from 22 of Maryland’s 24 subdivisions signed on, in a show of unity.)

CARES Act funds are intended to reimburse local health departments for personal protective gear and other items related to the COVID-19 epidemic. They can also be used for grants to businesses impacted by the crisis.

According to the Maryland Association of Counties, which coordinated the letter to Hogan, the state received $1.29 billion from the CARES Act, of which $364 million was intended for the counties.

In his letter to local leaders on Monday, Brinkley said counties with populations below half a million people will receive half their eligible funding now. They can seek the second half of the funding down the road, he wrote.

Harford County Executive Barry Glassman (R) said the monies will help his health department buy PPE and it will allow Harford to offer grants local businesses need to make modifications in order to reopen.

“This will allow our local economic development departments to set up some programs to set up some programs to get funding out to the community, which we think we can do quicker,” he said.

In a call with General Assembly leaders on April 22, Glassman said it was unfair to make smaller counties jump through an extra hoop to get federal funds when all governments are facing the same challenges.

“We’ve been working on this for about three weeks now, just pushing and pushing against the reimbursement method,” he said in an interview on Monday.

“Most smaller counties do not have the capacity to forward-fund programs and then come back and ask for reimbursement. The spirit of the CARES Act was to get that to us so we wouldn’t have to forward fund.”

Glassman said Harford business owners have been asking why the county isn’t offering programs similar to those that have been launched in neighboring Baltimore County.

Under the federal formula, a county the size of Harford qualifies for $44.6 million in aid. The Hogan administration’s decision will release the first $22.3 million.

“They’re just as trustworthy,” Elrich said of the smaller counties. “They deal with [grant] money all the time. There’s no reason to treat them differently.”

Local leaders said it’s unclear why small counties had to press so hard to get the Hogan administration to release CARES Act funds.

“I never got a good answer,” Glassman said.

“There just seemed to be some kind of disconnect that somehow Maryland’s medium and small counties were not able to handle these kinds of funds,” he added. “That’s the only thing I can think of.”

By Bruce DePuyt

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.