April 28, 2020
Abilene Means Business Newsletter
WELCOME NEW MEMBERS
Abilene Kansas Unboxed
603 S Buckeye Ave
Abilene, KS 67410
Phone: (785) 479-6243
Biz Swag, LLC
308 N Broadway
Abilene, KS 67410
Phone: 785-263-2226
Precision Construction Services
Phone: 316-260-9200
New Grant Program Begins Today
Community Development Block Grant – CV Program - Is Your Business Eligible?

Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds are an important tool in supporting small Kansas communities. Now, as communities come together in their response to COVID-19, additional CDBG resources are being made available through the CDBG-CV program.

CDBG-CV has two funding categories: Economic Development and Meal Programs.

*IMPORTANT NOTE: Businesses do not apply for CDBG-CV grants directly through the Department of Commerce. Kansas counties and cities are eligible to apply for CDBG-CV grants through the Department of Commerce and will then work with local businesses and organizations to disburse funds.

CDBG-CV Program Quick Facts

CDBG-CV Economic Development grants provide communities with funding to help local businesses retain jobs for low-to-moderate income people.

Eligibility
To be eligible to receive a CDBG-CV Economic Development grant, the recipient business must be a for-profit business and retaining jobs for low to moderate-income people. 51% or more of the full-time equivalent (FTE) jobs retained must be for persons from low to moderate-income households as defined by HUD.

CDBG-CV Economic Development grants can be used to pay for the following expenses:
  • Working capital such as wages, utilities, rent, etc.
  • The purchase of 60 days’ worth of inventory needed to reopen (60 days will begin on the day the business is allowed to reopen).

Award Amounts
  • Businesses with five or fewer employees (including the owner) are eligible to receive up to $25,000 per FTE job in CDBG-CV Economic Development grant funding (with a maximum of $30,000 per company).
  • Businesses with between six and 50 employees are eligible to receive up to $35,000 for each FTE job in CDBG-CV Economic Development grant funding (with a maximum of $50,000 per company).

Other Facts to Note
  • Businesses who already received funding from EIDL or PPP may not be eligible to apply for the CDBG-CV program
  • Exceptions may be if the funds are to be used for working capital that was not covered by EIDL or PPP funding that was received previously
  • NOTE: Making an application for funding when the business has already received funding through another program for a specific function, like wages, could be considered fraud
  • Businesses must apply to their City or County, not directly to the Department of Commerce
  • Applications will be reviewed by the City or County Commission (as applicable) for approval
  • The applicable governing body must issue a resolution for approval for the application to move forward in the process
  • Surveys of all employees must be completed by businesses who plan to use the funds for wages; surveys must be included with the full application
  • Information in applications is subject to the Open Records Act and will be available to the public
  • All funds must be accounted for by the business – audits will be conducted to ensure the funds were used correctly

These are only a few highlights. Please CLICK HERE to read the complete overview to determine whether your business is eligible to proceed with an application.

Call the Dickinson County Economic Development Corporation at 785-280-1173 with questions or for assistance in beginning the application process.
Member News
OCCK Employees Recognized Virtually
Salina, KS – OCCK, Inc. employees were recognized virtually for their years of service this week. Those recognized for their service included 37 employees that reached a 3, 5, 10, 15, 20, or 25 years of service milestone in 2019. 
 
The 37 Employees recognized for reaching a service milestone in 2019, comprise 274 years of service to OCCK. These employees represent a wide cross-section of the duties and services performed for OCCK including: business office, transportation, home health, employment services, financial management, assistive technology and direct support services. These employees represent the knowledge, dedication, and service of all OCCK employees, even though only those reaching a service milestone were recognized this year.
 
“Although we were not able to celebrate in person this year, I am so proud of the contributions that each of these employees has made.” said President and CEO Shelia Nelson-Stout. “Their contributions are sincerely appreciated as they continuously focus on excellence and take pride in serving the people in our communities, today and everyday.”
 
Those recognized include:
 
25 Years of Service—Brenda Henry, Darcy Hopkins, Steve Breeding
20 Years of Service—Debbie Atkinson
15 Years of Service—Jim Hendrix
10 Years of Service—Janet Croisant, Steve Thaden, Joe Dickinson, Daniele Whitaker, Jean Gobber, Rebecca Krahl
5 Years of Service—Kristi Franek-Fordham, Dawn Sibley, Shanna Sowers, Jaimie Wintholz, Jimmy Gruber, Kristina McDowell, Yesica Swenson, Stephanie Wedel, Natalie Lervold, Terrell Green, William Arehart, Kenneth Waldman, Shelley Hanchett
3 Years of Service – Leslie Webb, Traci Snyder, Juanita Dalton, Jessica Biester, Tod Musgrove, Ashley Strange, Michelle Griffin, Hope Collins, Virginia Finney, Emalee Jorgensen, Rose Base, Melinda Wolfe, Elizabeth McCormick
 
OCCK, Inc. provides services in north central Kansas to anyone with any type of long or short-term disability, starting as early as birth and following people through their whole lives. OCCK provides an array of supports for success at home and in the community, including independent living skills and supports, employment and career training, Alzheimer’s supports, autism services, assistive technology, children’s services, transportation, specialized therapies, and home health care. In 2020, OCCK, Inc. is celebrating 50 years of service.
 
For more information about OCCK, Inc., visit www.occk.com or call 785.827.9383.

Michelle Griffin
Director of Mobility Management
OCCK, Inc.
340 N. Santa Fe
Salina, KS 67401
785.826.1583 ext. 315
Salina Airport Prepared for the Return of Passengers
Salina, KS - Airline, TSA, and Airport Authority staff are ready for the return of passengers to the M.J. Kennedy Air Terminal. Already there has been a slight increase in passengers boarding daily United Express flights to the Denver International Airport. United Express flights flown by SkyWest Airlines operate daily to Denver with connections to destinations throughout the USA.

Passengers arriving at the Salina Regional Airport will be greeted by airline and TSA staff who now wear protective masks and gloves for passenger check-in, passenger screening and boarding. Passenger ticketing and screening podiums are equipped with sneeze guards. Arriving passengers will be required to wear face masks on the flight to Denver and beyond.

SkyWest personnel clean the 50-passenger Canadair regional jet every night using an electrostatic disinfectant sprayer and deep cleaning all cabin surfaces. United has established protocols for cleaning and disinfecting all aircraft in its network. United’s cabin cleaning procedures can be viewed at:


United Airlines posts important COVID-19 travel updates at:


Avoid long TSA lines and Fly Salina. We are ready when you are.

For schedule and ticketing information go to United.com or contact reservations at (800) 864-8331.
Kansas Employment Outlook
Revised Kansas Employment Forecast
The Center for Economic Development and Business Research has released its Kansas Employment Forecast, Revised for May 2020.

Click the button below to read more.
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Unemployment Insurance (UI) Weekly Review Data
This weekly publication contains information relating to the Unemployment Insurance (UI) program, including claims, benefit payments, contributions, and trust fund balances.
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Phase 1 Guidelines in Place until May 18
Governor Laura Kelly's Plan to Reopen Kansas remains in effect until May 18, 2020.

Reminder: Dickinson County Guidelines supersede the Governor's Guidelines. Phase 1 remains in place until May 18, 2020.

Show Your Support for Dickinson County
Kansas Homemade Mask/Cloth Covering Guide

New evidence indicates that some people with coronavirus do not have symptoms of disease and can transmit the virus before getting sick. That means, the virus can spread to others nearby and from you when speaking, coughing or sneezing. To slow the spread of COVID-19, KDHE recommends individuals use cloth face coverings when going out in public.

For more information and how to make your own face masks, click here.
Fun Activities from our Friends at the Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum


Check out the Education section of the Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum's website for puzzles reading materials, fun puzzles, and downloadable coloring pages in their Activity Center .
VISIT THE CHAMBER WEBSITE FOR MORE INFORMATION!