Cape Commissioners OK CARES Act reimbursements

Nine businesses and organizations were approved Thursday for $45,444.31 in Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act funding by the Cape Girardeau County Commission.

Cape Girardeau Area Magnet received and reviewed all applications from non-public sector sources, organizing the information into a spreadsheet and sending it on to county commissioners.

The amount approved is less than one-tenth of the total amount requested, which was in excess of $460,000.

“Round One CARES Act funding is strictly to reimburse for expenses directly related to COVID-19,” said John Mehner, executive director of the Cape Girardeau Area Chamber of Commerce, who added that Magnet did not make funding recommendations but compiled the information at the commission’s request.

Acceptable COVID-19 reimbursables include personal protection equipment (PPE), sanitizer, shields, dividers and masks.

Ineligible for reimbursement, for example, are laptops, expenses related to working from home and lost wages.

Approved

The following non-public sector grants were made as COVID-related reimbursements:

• Schaefer’s Electrical Enclosures — $20,323.37
• Cape Girardeau Area Chamber of Commerce — $9,622.27
• Drury Development Corp. Hotels — $5,417.77
• Bi-State Oil Co. — $5,389.13
• Cosmo Nails — $2,824.48
• St. Andrew Lutheran Church — $1,400.82
• Old Town Cape — $466.47

Magnet will act as a pass-through for the payments.

The county will cut a check to Magnet which will then disburse the approved money to the organizations.

“The application to receive reimbursement is thorough,” said Mehner, pointing out each interested business has to fill out a 16-page document and provide by-laws, a budget, a certificate of good standing and receipts, among other requests.

Additionally, Mehner said, an organization has to prove the expenses were non-budgeted.

Magnet said it expects to receive additional applications for CARES Act reimbursement through Dec. 31.

Additional funding

The County Commission on Thursday also approved CARES Act reimbursements totaling more than a half-million dollars to several other organizations that submitted invoices and receipts directly to the county.

Those reimbursements are as follows:

• Cape Girardeau County Public Health Center — $247,864.09
• Cape Girardeau School District — $150,304.19
• Eagle Ridge Christian School — $103,274.73
• Saint Vincent DePaul School — $19,801.49
• Saint Francis Medical Center — $9,153.00