Braintree recovery: Mayor Kokoros’ COVID-19 story; more money available for small businesses

The Braintree Chamber of Commerce hosted its fifth COVID-19 recovery meeting with local officials via a video conference on June 29.
 
In addition to town and state updates, participants heard about grants available for workforce training, worksite safety improvement, and economic relief.
 
Led by Braintree Chamber chair Kim Kroha, these recovery meetings are open to anyone in Braintree’s business community as well as Chamber members. Here’s the recap:

Mayor Kokoros shares experience with COVID-19, urges mask-wearing

Mayor Charles Kokoros reported he is back in good health after suffering from COVID-19 earlier this month. He said the illness is “an absolutely terrible thing to go through” and the experience reaffirmed his confidence in Braintree’s early and strict interventions to contain the spread.
 
The mayor said he contracted the virus through a family member and was likely contagious at work for a few days before developing symptoms. However, none of his colleagues tested positive, which he attributes to his diligent mask-wearing.
 
“The masks make a difference. It’s the only way we’re going to stop spreading this virus,” he said.

Braintree business update

• The town has applied for block grant that will pay small businesses up to $10,000 to cover two months rent (in addition to Paycheck Protection Program money). To qualify, businesses must have five or fewer full-time employees and revenue under $1 million per year. The federal funds could be available because of COVID-19 relief, and the town is following up frequently on the potential award.
• The mayor welcomes opportunities to partner with the Braintree Chamber on efforts to support struggling local businesses and welcome new businesses. “We are very much interested in the redevelopment of our business community. If we have good businesses wanting to come to Braintree, we want to help them,” he said.
• The mayor said the town responsibly committed to a 4% budget cut for fiscal year 2021 and now needs support from the state. “I hope and pray that the numbers [for state aid] we’ve used for the 2021 budget will be close to what we get in the end. We’ve done everything we can on our end to be proactive,” he said.
• The mayor and a town councilor have proposed a ban on two-family conversions based on a recommendation from a citizens zoning working group. The proposal would have no impact on the business community, according to the mayor.
• Any restaurants wishing to offer outdoor dining on public property should contact the mayor’s office. “Anything is fair game. We’re more than happy to sit down and talk about it,” Kokoros said.

 
Councilor David Ringuis said the town is well-positioned for recovery thanks to its contact tracing and other safety interventions. He thanked everyone for their work to get businesses back on their feet.

Grants and other money available to small businesses 

Margaret Laforest of the Massachusetts Economic Development Office announced that the Baker-Polito administration has released its $275 million COVID-19 economic recovery package to promote equity and economic growth.
 
The plan is focused on four pillars: responding to the housing crisis; building vibrant communities; supporting business competitiveness; and training a skilled workforce.
 
Employers who wish to train staff, avoid layoffs, make their worksites safer, or find economic relief should look into these state and federal resources:

• Workforce Training Fund Program grants are for employers with 100 or fewer employees. In the general program, businesses can access up to $250,000 to train employees in sales, customer service, leadership & management, project management, software & IT, and many other areas. The express program offers up to $30,000 for employees to take online courses such as business valuation, nonprofit management, and human resources.
• The Massachusetts WorkShare Program offers an alternative to layoffs. Employees work reduced hours while collecting unemployment benefits to supplement their lower wages.
• The On-the-Job Training Program assists employers with the cost of hiring and training a new employee. Employers can hire new employees and train them at their place of business while being reimbursed a percentage of the new employee's wages during training.
• The Work Opportunity Tax Credit offers a federal tax credit to employers who hire individuals from certain targeted groups who have consistently faced significant barriers to employment.
• The Workplace Safety Training Grant from the MA Division of Industrial Accidents promotes workplace safety through training and education. Employers can draw up to 25,000 per year.
• Workplace safety consultations are available to OSHA-regulated employers at no charge by the MA Department of Labor. A consultant will visit the worksite and recommend safety improvements with no risk of penalty for non-compliance.
• The MassHire Career Center has a variety of services for job seekers, employers and businesses.

 
For information on any of these programs, contact Margaret Laforest at 617-939-3097
or Margaret.laforest@mass.gov

News from the Commonwealth

State Senator John Keenan provided these updates from Beacon Hill:
 

• COVID-19-related health metrics are improving. The running three-day average since April is down 85% for cases and down 79% for patients in hospital. The senator said while many people are eager to reopen fully, understandably so, Massachusetts’ more cautious approach seems to be working.
• As of Sunday, there were over 8,000 deaths and 108,000 cases.
• Massachusetts has the fourth highest unemployment rate in the nation, trailing Nevada, Hawaii and Michigan and in line with Rhode Island and California.
• In May the state added 58,000 jobs, but most restored jobs that were previously lost. The largest gains were in construction and leisure & hospitality.
• Braintree’s unemployment rate is 19.3%.
• There are major concerns about what will happen when the federal $600 monthly unemployment benefit ends at the end of July. A critical mass of evictions and foreclosures is possible, although the state congress may extend the moratorium. Legislators also are eyeing relief for anticipated rises in business unemployment insurance.
• The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education released its Initial Fall School Reopening Guidance, which will impact parents’ return to work and the business community.

 
State Senator Walter Timilty reported that the state has passed a temporary budget for fiscal year 2021 due to COVID-19-related uncertainty on revenue projections. Legislators are currently weighing bills to fund information technology upgrades in cities and towns, as well a supplemental budget in anticipation of federal aid.
 
 
What do you think Braintree needs for economic recovery? Make your voice heard! Visit braintreechamber.com to sign up for email alerts, learn about Chamber membership, or drop us a line. You can also follow us on Facebook.