The Danbury Town Council said that Stokes County is creating a grant program to help small businesses during COVID-19. | Stock Photo
The Danbury Town Council said that Stokes County is creating a grant program to help small businesses during COVID-19. | Stock Photo
The Danbury Town Council on Aug. 26 rejected $11,138 in federal CARES Act money, saying they had no direct pandemic expenses to spend it on.
Instead, council members decided to let the feds keep the money, which means that more funding in Stokes County grants will be available for Danbury businesses.
“This money [CARES Act] can only be used for COVID-related losses,” Town Manager Mike Barness said, Stokes News reported on Aug. 27. “The only expense we’ve had is a one-time Zoom license to be able to hold our meetings online. Accepting the money would mean we’d have to manage it, account for it. So my recommendation is that we just don’t accept it. Then it goes back to the county and they can help Danbury residents recover their expenses. We can’t.”
Stokes County has received $1.8 million in CARES Act money, Stokes News reported. County officials are setting up a grant program that will allow area businesses to apply for that money pool. Applications are accepted from Sept. 9-30.
Council members decided to take Barness’s advice.
Councilman Steve Shelton said it needed to be made clear why the governing body rejected the federal funds.
“There is nothing we can really use [CARES Act money] for,” Shelton said, Stokes news reported. “Otherwise people will be asking, ‘why did you turn down $11,000?’”
Barness told the council members residents of Danbury who own a business or nonprofit and can show loss from the pandemic can still apply for a county grant.
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