Agenda 08/25/2020 Item #16F1 (09/08/2020 Item #16F1J for 08/25/2020 Absentia)08/25/2020
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Recommendation to approve clarifications to the Coronavirus Relief Fund Programs.
OBJECTIVE: To provide clarifications for the Coronavirus Relief Fund to ensure timely review by staff
and payment by the Clerk of Courts Office.
CONSIDERATIONS: The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act was signed
into law on March 27, 2020. The CARES Act included a $150 billion Coronavirus Relief Fund (“Fund”)
to provide payments to State, Local, and Tribal governments navigating the impact of the COVID-19
outbreak. On Wednesday, June 16, 2020, Governor Ron DeSantis announced Florida’s plan to distribute
$1.275 billion in CARES Act funds to counties with a population below 500,000, including $67,162,425
to Collier County, of which $16,790,608 was a direct appropriation.
On June 23, 2020 Item 11B, the Board approved an agreement with the Florida Division of Emergency
Management (FDEM) to receive the appropriation and authorized the County Manager or designee to
execute any sub-award agreements and payment requests necessary to distribute reimbursement for
expenses to eligible parties..
On July 14, 2020 Item 11B the Board approved funding allocations for five programs;
(a) Individual Assistance- $15 million to assist residents who have been economically affected by the
Covid-19 pandemic with rent, mortgage, unities, and childcare payments.
(b) Small Business Relaunch & Rehire Grants- ($10 million) intended to offset costs of reopening or
relaunching small business as our economy slowly reopens.
(c) Community Health & Services Initiatives- ($30 million)
Non-profit, Community, and Health Services- ($20 million) allocated to health
emergency, non-profits, healthcare, and community providers have been on the frontline
of helping our community respond.
Food Security Emergency Assistance- ($5 million) to assist food banks/pantries with
increased costs due to food purchases, additional staff hired, and/or additional rental
space necessary.
Child Care Assistance ($5 million)- Collier County’s workforce has been impacted by
closures of schools, childcare facilities and other programs.
(d) Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)- ($5 million) order PPE. PPE supply kits will be supplied to
small businesses and not-for-profits in Collier County that employ up to 25 employees that are
heavily involved with public interaction.
(e) Community Replenishment Reserve- ($7,162,425 million) reserve to supplement programs that
see a high demand for funding, and to cover administrative costs associated with the program
Staff began processing individual assistance applications shortly after Board approval of the program.
Throughout the processing of applications certain clarifications and streamlining are needed in order to
ensure timely review by staff and payment by the Clerk of Courts Office. The following is a list of
clarifications:
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Individual Assistance Program-
• Qualifications will mirror the CARES Act Economic Impact Payments guidelines, with assistance
available to applicants with incomes up to $75,000 and to $150,000 for those married filing
jointly.
• Receipt of CARES Economic Stimulus payment by at least one applicant may serve as
qualification documentation for the entire household; income documentation of additional
household members is not required.
• Pending, exhausted, or active Unemployment Benefit applications may be used as documentation
of economic hardship.
• Applicant and Co-applicant must be legal residents; documentation for other household members
is not required.
• Self-Certification of Covid-19 Impact and income are acceptable forms of documentation.
• Upon review of Recipient’s application for assistance, County staff may make an
adjustment/correction to the requested assistance amount if the requested amount does not
accurately reflect the supporting documentation.
• Applicants who qualify may receive the past due, current and next month’s rent/mortgage, utility
and childcare payment while the application is being processed, up to the maximum limit
• Payment of water, sewer, electric, pest control, fees, etc. is permissible if included as a
requirement of the leases or part of the lease payment.
• Establish a re-certification process to assist persons who continue to be impacted by COVID as
evidenced by continued unemployment, or those re-employed at a lesser rate of pay with a
maximum award of an additional $15,000 for rent, utility and mortgage assistance.
• Assistance payments may be made from CARES, CRF, SHIP, or other grant programs based on
program funding availability, applicability, and income guidelines.
• Accounts need not be current as of March 2020, however only expenses incurred since March
2020 are eligible for payment.
Community Services (not-for-profit, healthcare and public safety) Program-
• Program applicants may be moved between CARES programs, i.e. CDBG-CV, ESG-CV, SHIP
and any other awarded CARES program funding received.
Small Business Relaunch & Rehire Program-
• Costs must have been incurred by required closures or impacts to daily operations under a State
Executive Order and may not have been covered by insurance or any other Federal programs.
Childcare Program-
• Licensed childcare facilities may apply for grant assistance for increased operating expenses
related to sanitation and other methods of safely operating a childcare program.
• Licensed childcare facilities and Collier County Parks & Recreation programs are eligible to
apply for the grant assistance program.
Personal Protective Equipment -
• The County Manager may enter into lease agreements for testing location and storage for the PPE
supplies.
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Approval of this item by the County Manager is subject to formal ratification by the Board of County
Commissioners. If the decision by the County Manager is not ratified by that Board, the document(s)
shall be enforceable against Collier County only to the extent authorized by law in the absence of such
ratification by that Board.
FISCAL IMPACT: There is no fiscal impact associated with the clarifications included in this item.
GROWTH MANAGEMENT IMPACT: There is no growth management impact.
LEGAL CONSIDERATIONS: This item has been reviewed by the County Attorney, is approved as to
form and legality and requires a majority vote for approval.
RECOMMENDATION: That the Board of County Commissioners approve clarifications to the
Coronavirus Relief Fund Programs.
Prepared By: Cormac Giblin, Housing, Operations, and Grant Development Manager
Sean Callahan, Executive Director, Corporate Business Operations
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COLLIER COUNTY
Board of County Commissioners
Item Number: 16.F.1
Doc ID: 13352
Item Summary: Recommendation to approve clarifications to the Coronavirus Relief Fund
Programs.
Meeting Date: 08/25/2020
Prepared by:
Title: – Corporate Business Operations
Name: Sean Callahan
08/24/2020 7:42 AM
Submitted by:
Title: County Manager – County Manager's Office
Name: Leo E. Ochs
08/24/2020 7:42 AM
Approved By:
Review:
Community & Human Services Kristi Sonntag Additional Reviewer Completed 08/24/2020 9:25 AM
Corporate Business Operations Sean Callahan Additional Reviewer Completed 08/24/2020 9:33 AM
Grants Valerie Fleming Level 2 Grants Review Completed 08/24/2020 9:44 AM
Office of Management and Budget Debra Windsor Level 3 OMB Gatekeeper Review Completed 08/24/2020 9:46 AM
Budget and Management Office Mark Isackson Additional Reviewer Completed 08/24/2020 10:36 AM
County Attorney's Office Jeffrey A. Klatzkow Level 3 County Attorney's Office Review Completed 08/24/2020 3:42 PM
County Manager's Office Nick Casalanguida Level 4 County Manager Review Completed 08/25/2020 9:03 AM
Board of County Commissioners MaryJo Brock Meeting Pending 08/25/2020 9:00 AM
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