Applications for county CARES Act funds delayed

Greene County's application process for $34 million in federal coronavirus funds has been delayed.

The county announced in a July 10 news release that applications for the first phase of funding would go live on July 13. But Monday passed without an application process in place on the county's website.

"We are doing some additional testing at this time," county spokesperson Donna Barton said yesterday via email.

Barton and other county officials could not be reached for follow-up comment by deadline today. Applications have not yet been added to the county's website, though messaging on the additional testing was added and a sample application was made available for review.

The sample application covers a variety of COVID-19 questions, such as whether a business has been forced to drastically reduce operations due to the pandemic.

The news release Friday indicated applications first would be accepted July 13-16 for nonprofits and community organizations; followed by health care organizations July 16-21; small businesses July 21-24; education July 23-28; and taxpayer-supported entities July 28-31.

“We understand there is much anticipation in the community regarding this application process and we have been working as diligently and quickly as possible to make this available," said Lyle Foster, the county's grants administrator for the federal funding, in the release. "We are committed to processing and reviewing these applications in a timely manner to ensure these funds benefit our community in the way the program is intended.”

Foster, a community activist who's CEO of Big Momma’s Coffee and Espresso Bar LLC, was hired for the job last month.

The county has until year's end to distribute the funding provided through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act.