MOLINE, Ill. — Moline Mayor Stephanie Acri is offering a $5,000 grant to bars and restaurants that have been impacted by coronavirus mitigation efforts, and are complying with the latest set of orders passed down by Governor J.B. Pritzker.
To qualify, Moline businesses must submit an impact statement, which will be reviewed by a committee to determine they've had increased cost or financial strain as a result of the pandemic. The committee has $300,000 to award, and says if more money is asked for than available, they'll start examining each application on a greater-need-basis.
The deadline to apply is noon on Friday, Nov. 13. Interested businesses can email Geoff Manis at gmanis@moline.il.us, or call the city clerk's office at (309) 524-2004.
In the order, established November 5, Mayor Acri appointed Alderman David Parker, Alderman Kevin Schoonmaker, and Moline Centre Main Street Manager, Geoff Manis, to the Committee.
"The Committee is charged with evaluating the Impact Statements submitted by the restaurants and bars located within the City of Moline and determining which restaurants and bars have sustained a substantial negative impact from the various Mitigation Measures." -Mayor Acri
Mayor Acri told News 8 that this grant budget came from leftover funding allocated for businesses affected by I-74 bridge construction and traffic, as well as from money procured from the CARES Act.
Once businesses have been awarded the grant, they must comply with the governor's tier one mitigation efforts for Region two, which include the halting of indoor dining or drink services.
Governor Pritzker has repeatedly said that bars and restaurants are among the worst spreaders of the virus.
"We came into this tier one mitigation requirement and that once again severely impacts our restaurants and bars. They're no longer able to provide service indoors," said Mayor Acri. "We're navigating that- it just went into effect for the area last week, and it's very stressful for our businesses that really- some of them are at the end of their ropes."
All awarded businesses must comply with the governor's mitigation rules. If a bar or restaurant applies for the grant, but then after a few weeks breaks compliance, they will have to refund the city the $5,000, per the grant agreement.
Mayor Acri said as a small business owner herself, she understands there are costs associated with trying to make the necessary adjustments required by the mitigations. In response, she wanted the city to offer financial support.
"It's just our recognition that they're doing it for the health and benefit for our community. We want to support those businesses, the ones that are recognizing that and really shouldering the burden of trying to keep the rest of us safe," she said.
For those bars and restaurants who aren't complying with the new rules, and still hosting indoor patrons, the mayor said she still empathizes with them.
"We have wonderful businesses in Moline," she said. "None of them are bad businesses. But the ones that are complying... I'm so grateful that they're sacrificing so much."
To her, small businesses are the 'critical financial infrastructure' of Moline's community. While this grant can't relieve all of their stress, she admits, it's an important step.
"I don't think anybody thinks that that's gonna make them whole, but it does help," she said. "I found small businesses to be pretty tenacious. If there's a way, they're gonna figure it out. But we need to be there with them on the journey of trying to figure it out."
Michael Osborn is the owner of Miss Mamie's restaurant in Moline. He says he's been complying with the new tier one efforts since they took place on Wednesday.
"I can certainly empathize with those businesses that have decided to stay open. However, at Miss Mamie's, our overall concern is for the wellbeing of the public," he said. "So when the mandate came down, even though it's very painful for us, like everyone else, there was really no thought. We knew we were gonna have to shut down."
He said the $5,000 grant won't be enough to cover the increased cost of take-out boxes, and curbside product packaging, and all of the other financial strains brought about by the pandemic, but it's necessary to end the spread, overall, faster.
"The more cooperation, you know, the faster this will, the numbers will come down. The faster this will subside," said Osborn. "I've described it to some people as, if you decide to stay open, in my opinion it's kind of short term gain for long term pain. I think that in the end, we made the right decision. While it's painful in the short term, hopefully if this subsides quickly, we'll all be able to open sooner and get back to business as normal."
He said the first complete shutdown, back in March, and all of the months after that have been extremely difficult on Miss Mamie's. Several members of the staff have had to be let go.
But he's hopeful that a more unified approach, from all the area bars and restaurants, can make a difference. And the grant from the city is a small, but needed, incentive to help gain more support for that approach.
To Mayor Acri, she doesn't want to see any small business suffering. But as Illinois heads for another record breaking day of positive Covid cases, she pleaded with the community to comply with what health experts are asking bar and restaurant owners to do.
"We're all in this together," she said. "I see daily updates and [the pandemic] is the worst it's ever been. I'm concerned about our future and the health of our community. So please wear your mask, social distance, respect and honor these mitigations that are in place, because it's all meant for a bigger picture of us surviving this pandemic. And then we'll be together to put the pieces back after it."