Council releases second tranche of COVID funds

In a work session followed by a special meeting on Thursday, August 6, the Nome Common Council met to hammer out the particulars to disburse another tranche of COVID-19 relief funds to Nome businesses and nonprofit organizations that suffered economic losses due to the COVID-19 shutdown. The Council had started out with recommendations from City Manager Glenn Steckman to follow the Kenai model, in which businesses receive grants according to revenue brackets based on last year’s numbers. However, Councilman Jerald Brown wanted to see a needs-based approach, but that proved difficult to measure. This would require businesses divulging their net income losses, and the concern was voiced that businesses may not be eager to share this information. After discussion during the work session, the Council circled back and went with the Kenai model, granting money to businesses according to last year’s revenue. The Council created six levels, starting with businesses showing a 2019 revenue of $10,000 to $50,000 making a business eligible for a $1,500 grant. A business with 2019 revenue of $50,0001 to $150,000 gets $3,500; $150,001 to $300,000 is eligible for a $7,000 grant; $300,001 to $450,000 gets a $10,500 grant; $ 450,001 to $600,000 gets a $14,000 grant and businesses that had a 2019 revenue exceeding $600,001 are eligible for a $20,000 grant. The business has to state that it was impacted by COVID-19 and is in need of economic assistance. Not eligible are marijuana businesses; those outside city limits, with more than 50 employees or those in bankruptcy or owning the city money. The form is posted on the city’s website.
The Council  met in a regular meeting on Monday, August 10 and breezed through a light agenda. The only actions taken were unanimously approved resolutions to add all councilmembers as well as the deputy city clerk to be able to co-sign City of Nome payments and a resolution to hire the son of a City employee as seasonal laborer.
Steckman said in his city manager report that a new travel form is on the website that only requires the signature of the traveler, attesting to comply with City of Nome’s requirements of a 7-day or 14-day quarantine plan. Steckman said that on some incoming flights about half of the passengers don’t have a travel form with them and that the city is stepping up efforts to make travelers aware of the form.
While discussing the prospect that Nome Police Department is pursuing national accreditation, Steckman said that a long-awaited report from consultant Gregory Russell of Russell Consulting has not materialized yet.
Both Steckman and NPD Chief Mike  Heintzelman are eager to see the results of the audit but have not been presented with any report. Russell has been to Nome last fall, Steckman said, but since so much time has lapsed, Steckman requested a second audit of the current state of the police department. He said since last year, there have been changes in leadership and it would not be ‘fair’ to be faced with an audit based on last year’s realities without taking this year’s into account. “It is my understanding that the report was never wrapped up, we never saw it,” said Steckman. “Let’s get 2019 wrapped up and do another one in 2020 to see if NPD has made progress or not.”
Chief Heintzelman expressed that he would like to get the report to be able to initiate recommended changes. Steckman reported that last week, the Public Safety Advisory Commission met in a four hour meeting and discussed NPD’s effort for CALEA accreditation. CALEA stands for  Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies. It is an entity that focuses on standards that provide best practices related to life, health, and safety procedures in law enforcement.