“It’s a nightmare,” said Jay Ives, president of The Blind Tiger. “We have been hurt incredibly.”
In response to local businesses struggling, the Joint Economic Development Organization allocated $700,000 from “cash carry forward” funds to help small businesses, with the funds subject to future approval by the JEDO board.
JEDO chair and Shawnee County Commissioner Kevin Cook said at Tuesday night’s meeting that the money was only set aside to potentially help businesses, and while it could be used to create a fund for small businesses, no formal plan was established.
JEDO created a task force of three people incoming JEDO chair Mayor Michelle De La Isla, Shawnee County Commissioner Aaron Mays and city Councilmember Mike Lesser to determine how JEDO will use the money.