The Small Business Administration began accepting applications this week for a federal program designed to provide relief funds to restaurants and other hard-hit food establishments that have experienced economic distress and significant operational losses due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Established under the recently passed American Rescue Plan, the $28.6 billion Restaurant Revitalization Fund will provide restaurants with funding equal to their pandemic-related revenue loss up to $10 million per business and no more than $5 million per physical location. Funds must be used for allowable expenses by March 11, 2023.Â
âLocal food and drink establishments can utilize this special program funding via the SBA,â said Michael Meek, interim CEO of the Greater New Braunfels Chamber of Commerce. âAs long as they expend the funds on eligible expenses before March 2023, the funds are not payable back to the government. The pandemic hit our local restaurants hard, so this is we
Both area lawmakers said they plan to attend the Texas Legislative Conference, a nonpartisan organization of Texas business and political leaders, will be held Thursday and Friday at New Braunfels Civic/Convention Center.
âI will try to attend, but we will have a calendar on the floor that day and representing my district on the floor is the job my constituents elected me to do,â District 73 Rep. Kyle Biedermann said of the event sponsored by the Greater New Braunfels Chamber of Commerce.Â
The conference begins with an informal reception at 7 p.m. Thursday and continues Friday with a 7:30 a.m. breakfast, opening session and three seminars addressing public policy issues.
According to the Small Business Administration, more than half of Americans own or work for a small business. And those mom-and-pop shops account for two out of every three new jobs in the country.
With that in mind, the Greater New Braunfels Chamber of Commerce is encouraging residents to shop local and show their support for local small businesses during this week, which marks the 58th National Small Business Week.Â
The Chamber encourages all residents to wear yellow on Friday and use #SBWNB on social media this week to show support for local businesses or promote their small businesses.Â
âWithout the small business community, we wouldnât have the heart and soul of New Braunfels,â said Stephen Brockman, the Chamberâs vice president of leadership and small business. âAlthough this is very different from last May, I think itâs more important than ever as we rebound and recover from the pandemic to support those local businesses. They needed our
Comal County Commissioners will approve the countyâs 2022 budget planning schedule and issue proclamations honoring corrections officers and small businesses during their weekly meeting on Thursday.
The budget process takes roughly four months and concludes by the end of August. The 2021 budget, totaling $107.988 million, went into effect Jan. 1. It is funded by the 2020 combined tax rate of 35.8515 cents per $100 assessed property valuation, with portions designated for county general operations, jury, indigent health, debt service, and road and flood control funds.Â
 âFirst, the process allows other elected officials to submit (budget) requests and define priorities of their offices for the upcoming year,â County Judge Sherman Krause said. âNext, it provides transparency to the taxpayers who are paying the bills. It gives them opportunity to review what weâre doing and gives them a say in the budget process.â
With the summer season just around the corner, some Comal County tourist destinations are scrambling to find workers and using financial incentives to attract potential employees.
With pent-up demand after a year-long pandemic hibernation, loosened coronavirus restrictions and accelerating vaccination programs driving more people out and about, area tourist attraction leaders said they expect to see more visitors this season. But the talent pool employees are drawn from when they are needed most appears smaller than in past years.
A hiring sign hangs on display in front of Schlitterbahn on Friday, April 23, 2021. The water park is offering bonuses for seasonal associates as it prepares to open for the 2021 season on May 8. MIKALA COMPTON | Herald-Zeitung