By ROD ZOOK
Hutch Post
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Hutchinson City Planner Ryan Hvitlok says the city received 13 applications for assistance from the CDBG-CV funds recently awarded to the city.
Hvitlok says all of the applicants provided sound presentations in asking for assistance.
“We were pleased with the turnout,” Hivtlok said. “Hopefully we’re able to make some awards to really help some of these good businesses.”
The $132,000 grant was handed out to help with various types of costs from rent, to utilities, to product restocking. Hvitlok says there was one thing with the applications that surprised him.
“The most interesting thing is we have a lot of very, very small businesses, sole proprietorships or businesses with one or two employees,” Hvitlok said. “They tried to get some of the assistance and just weren’t able to through paycheck protection and or SBA loans or things like that.”
The city planner also said the businesses wanted help in nearly every category offered.
“A lot of it was capital costs so we’re looking at utilities, we’re looking at rent or mortgage, things like that,” Hvitlok said. “We did have a handful of businesses, some of our food businesses, that were requesting help with inventory and things like that because they have to replenish that inventory that either they had to throw out or restock.”
The city will meet next Tuesday and decide how the funds will be distributed. If there is any money left, the city will put out a second application process.