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From our SBDC (located here in Mount Pleasant, TX) director: “This just came in from SBA. In essence it says, if your PPP loan amount is under $2million, you are not required to provide evidence of need. SBA will not deny your loan forgiveness because you did not prove you needed the money. They are accepting your declaration of need as evidenced on your application, and no further evidence will be required.” 

IMPORTANT: You will still have to document how you spend the money and comply with the 75/25 rule. The prior statement simply relieves you of the burden to prove you needed the money.

To learn more, visit https://www.marketwatch.com/story/treasury-says-paycheck-protection-program-loans-below-2-million-typically-wont-face-audits-2020-05-13?reflink=mw_share_linkedin

What is the Mount Pleasant / Titus County Chamber of Commerce Utility Support Program?

Mount Pleasant / Titus County Chamber of Commerce is a charitable fund, managed by the Mount Pleasant Chamber of Commerce. The Chamber has committed $25,000 to support small businesses in Mount Pleasant and Titus County. Citizens of Mount Pleasant and Titus County and the general public may also contribute to the fund to help sustain the growth of additional funding.

Who can submit a funding request to Mount Pleasant / Titus County Chamber of Commerce?

This utility support program was established to help small businesses in Mount Pleasant and Titus County that have been impacted by COVID-19 mitigation efforts. Priority will be given to businesses that have had to: close, lay off employees, limit operations to take-out, curbside, or delivery, or can show other direct, negative impacts that threaten the ability of the business to continue operations long-term.

To qualify for Mount Pleasant / Titus County Chamber of Commerce, the business must have a Mount Pleasant or Titus County Address and employ 30 full-time equivalent employees or fewer.
All funding requests will be reviewed by a Fund Oversight committee consisting of representatives of the City of Mount Pleasant, the Mount Pleasant Chamber, and the business community. The Committee will make a best faith effort to meet an applicant’s request, but all distributions will be contingent upon the degree of financial need, the timeliness of application submission and the availability of funds.

Funding will begin immediately to address the urgent needs of our community. As additional donations are received from the community, we hope to be able to extend the timeline for funding applications. Funding can be used for utility bills, such as gas, water/sewer, electricity, internet, and phone services.

How to demonstrate the financial impact?

Applicants will be asked to demonstrate how the business has been negatively impacted. Applicants will need to list specific bill amounts and provide documentation of those business expenses by providing the invoice or bill. In addition, all businesses applying for funding must submit a current balance sheet.

What is the maximum funding request? Can I re-apply?

The maximum request for funding is limited to $1,000? for a 45-day period. After 45 days an applicant may submit another request provided funding is available.

How will funds be received?

Once a business has been awarded funding, that business will provide the necessary documentation to the Mount Pleasant / Titus County Chamber of Commerce to allow direct payments to vendors, landlords, etc. The Chamber will pay expenses directly on behalf of the funding recipient. The Chamber will not write a check directly to the business that has been awarded funding.

Application Process:

Visit mtpleasanttx.com to apply for the Utility Support Program.

Governor Greg Abbott today held a press conference where announced that he will be issuing an Executive Order to expand openings of certain businesses and activities. The Governor also announced new guidance from the Texas Education Agency (TEA) on graduation ceremonies and the creation of Surge Response Teams to combat any COVID-19 flare ups in Texas. 

“Texas is in a position to continue opening parts of our economy because of the efforts and determination of the people of Texas,” said Governor Abbott. “Over the past month, Texans have worked together to contain the spread of COVID-19 by following social distancing practices and staying at home whenever possible. As we move forward, I urge all Texans to continue following these social distancing guidelines and the health standards we have provided. With every Texan doing their part, we will contain COVID-19, we will unleash our entrepreneurs, and we will make it through this challenge together.”

The Governor was joined for the press conference by Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) Commissioner John Hellerstedt, MD, Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM) Chief Nim Kidd, Texas Health and Human Services (HHSC) Acting Executive Commissioner Phil Wilson, TEA Commissioner Mike Morath, and Adjutant General of Texas Maj. Gen. Tracey Norris.

Per the Governor’s announcement, wedding venues and services required to conduct weddings may immediately open. Weddings held indoors other than at a church, congregation, or house of worship must limit occupancy to 25%. Wedding reception services may also resume, but facilities must limit their occupancy to 25% of the total listed occupancy. These occupancy limits do not apply to the outdoor areas of a wedding reception or to outdoor wedding receptions.

Beginning May 8, cosmetology salons, hair salons, barber shops, nail salons and shops, and other establishments where licensed cosmetologists or barbers practice their trade, may open, but all such salons, shops, and establishments must ensure at least six feet of social distancing between operating work stations. Tanning salons may also reopen under the same limitation. Also starting May 8, swimming pools may open subject to certain limitations, including on their occupancy or operating levels.

Beginning May 18, office buildings may open with the greater of five or less individuals or 25% of the total office workforce. These individuals must maintain appropriate social distancing. Gyms, exercise facilities, and exercise classes may also open on May 18, but must operate at 25% occupancy. Locker rooms and shower facilities will remain closed, but restrooms may open. Non-essential manufacturing services may also open on May 18 but facilities must limit their occupancy to 25%.

These newly opened services are subject to recommended minimum standard health protocols outlined by DSHS. These protocols will be available on the Open Texas webpage. 

During the press conference, Chief Kidd and Commissioner Wilson provided details on the newly formed Surge Response Teams. These teams are led by TDEM and HHSC and include representatives from the the Texas Military Department, DSHS, the Texas Emergency Medical Task Force, and BCFS Health and Human Services. Surge Response Teams will serve nursing homes, prisons, packing pants, and other facilities that experience flare ups of COVID-19 by providing personal protective equipment, testing supplies, onsite staffing, and assessment assistance. These teams will also work with local officials to establish health and social distancing standards to contain these flare ups. Several Surge Response Teams have already been deployed to locations across the state. Chief Kidd and Commissioner Wilson’s presentation is available here. 

TEA Commissioner Morath also provided new guidance on class of 2020 graduation ceremonies for Texas school districts. The TEA is providing four different pathways for schools to celebrate their graduating seniors, and each district is at liberty to determine if any of these options best serve the needs and desires of their community:

• Completely virtual ceremonies that take place entirely online, with the use of videoconference or other technologies.
• Hybrid ceremonies, which consist of a compilation of videos of students being recognized in person as they celebrate graduation in small groups.
• Vehicle ceremonies, in which students and their families wait in their cars while other graduates are recognized one at time with their families alongside them.
• Outdoor in-person ceremonies, which are currently permitted for counties as follows: 
  • Between May 15 and May 31, an outdoor ceremony may take place in a rural county that has an attestation as described in the Governor’s Report to Open Texas that remains in effect 7 days prior to the ceremony. 
  • An outdoor ceremony may take place in any Texas county on or after June 1. 

Full details of the TEA’s graduation ceremony guidance can be found on the TEA website. 

Source: Office of the Texas Governor, Gregg Abbott https://gov.texas.gov/news/post/governor-abbott-expands-business-openings-in-texas-announces-surge-response-teams-to-combat-covid-19

Where

Free Mobile COVID-19 testing will be available at the Mt. Pleasant Civic Center on Saturday, May 9, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

Symptoms

You must first register and be screened for multiple symptoms of COVID-19, including :

• shortness of breath fever
• chills
• body aches
• vomiting
• sore throat
• loss of taste/smell.
• headaches
• vomiting/ nausea/diarrhea
• nasal congestion

Appointments

Screening/registration begins at 9 a.m. on Friday, May 8, Go to: www.txcovidtest.org or call 512-883-2400.

For Immediate Distribution  |  April 27, 2020

Governor Abbott Announces Phase One To Open Texas, Establishes Statewide Minimum Standard Health Protocols Creates Statewide Contact Tracing Program Issues Special Guidance For Texans Over 65, Nursing Homes   AUSTIN – Governor Greg Abbott today announced the first phase of the State of Texas’ ongoing plan to safely and strategically open Texas while minimizing the spread of COVID-19. Under Phase I, certain services and activities are allowed to open with limited occupancy, and the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) is issuing minimum standard health protocols for all businesses and individuals to follow. The Governor also outlined special guidance for Texans over 65 and detailed a comprehensive mitigation plan for nursing homes in Texas. The Governor also announced a statewide testing and tracing program developed by DSHS that will help public health officials quickly identify and test Texans who contract COVID-19 and mitigate further spread of the virus. The Governor’s announcement is accompanied by Texans Helping Texans: The Governor’s Report to Open Texas. This detailed report, available on the strike force website, helps Texans understand phase one by outlining the new protocols, guidance, and recommendations. The report also includes a series of Open Texas Checklists that outline DSHS’ minimum standard health protocols for all Texans.   “This strategic approach to opening the state of Texas prioritizes the health and safety of our communities and follows the guidelines laid out by our team of medical experts,” said Governor Abbott. “Now more than ever, Texans must remain committed to safe distancing practices that reduce the spread of COVID-19, and we must continue to rely on doctors and data to provide us with the safest strategies to restore Texans’ livelihoods. We must also focus on protecting the most vulnerable Texans from exposure to COVID-19. If we remain focused on protecting the lives of our fellow Texans, we can continue to open the Lone Star State.”   By way of Executive Order (GA-18), all retail stores, restaurants, movie theaters, and malls are permitted to reopen on Friday, May 1. These services must limit their capacity to 25% of their listed occupancy. Within shopping malls, the food-court dining areas, play areas, and interactive displays and settings must remain closed.   All museums and libraries may open under the same 25% occupancy limitation, but interactive areas of museums must remain closed. State libraries and museums will open by May 1, and local public museums and libraries may reopen only if permitted by the local government. Single-person offices may reopen as well.   Churches and places of worship remain open. Outdoor sports are allowed to resume so long as no more than four participants are playing together at one time. Certain social distancing practices must also be followed. Local government operations, including county and municipal government operations relating to permitting, recordation, and document-filing services, may reopen as determined by the local government.   DSHS has recommended minimum standard health protocols for all individuals, all employers and employees, as well as industry-specific protocols for retailers, retail customers, restaurants, restaurant patrons, movie theaters, movie theater customers, museums and libraries, museum and library visitors, outdoor sports participants, single-person offices, and low COVID-19 counties. These protocols are outlined in the Open Texas Checklists within the Governor’s report beginning on page 20.   Essential services such as farmers and ranchers, grocery and drug stores, banks, and gas stations will continue to operate. Public swimming pools, bars, gyms, cosmetology salons, massage establishments, interactive amusement venues, such as bowling alleys and video arcades, and tattoo and piercing studios will remain closed through Phase I. Nursing homes, state-supported living centers, assisted living facilities, and long-term care facilities must remain closed to visitors unless to provide critical assistance.   The Governor also established increased occupancy protocols for certain counties with five or fewer laboratory-confirmed cases of COVID-19. Those counties may, on an individualized basis, increase occupancy limits to up to 50% for restaurants, retail, shopping malls, museums and libraries, and movie theaters if they meet certain criteria. The county judge must certify and affirm to DSHS that the following standards have been investigated and confirmed to be met: 1. The county had five or fewer COVID-19 laboratory-confirmed cases on April 30, 2020, or, at a later date, five or fewer active COVID-19 cases as verified by DSHS. 2. The county has created a list of testing opportunities in the county or the area. 3. The county has been in contact with its designated regional advisory council to ensure the community is prepared for any needed health care transfers. 4. The county has provided public notice to the residents of the county, including: Signs and symptoms of COVID-19: Recommended health and safety protocols in line with CDC guidance; Information regarding how residents can get tested in the area; A link to the DSHS website where residents can go to learn about community spread in nearby communities, in order to help county residents understand their risk to exposure if they travel regularly outside of the county. 5. The county has contacted each of the following types of facilities located in the county to ensure they are complying with Texas Health and Human Services (HHSC) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines regarding COVID-19: Nursing homes; Assisted living facilities; Industrial, agricultural, or business facilities with a significant number of employees; and City or county jails. 6. The county is equipped and prepared to protect vulnerable populations, including nursing homes and assisted living facilities. 7. The county has documented procedures to be activated if a resident becomes COVID-19 positive, including procedures to take appropriate measures as necessary in line with the plan to open Texas. 8. The county has contacted DSHS in order to create a plan to ensure contact tracing will occur within 48 hours of a positive test reported to DSHS.   Phase I will begin Friday May 1 and continue until at least May 18. The Governor will continue to evaluate next steps for the state.   The Governor’s Report to Open Texas also outlines a long-term comprehensive mitigation plan for nursing homes in Texas. Eight recommendations have been developed by HHSC to help mitigate the further spread of COVID-19 and decrease the risk of infection in these facilities. A summary of the recommendations is below, and full recommendations are in the Governor’s report beginning on page 9:  1. Quantify the extent of infection immediately 2. Establish a comprehensive mitigation plan 3. Re-evaluate current COVID-19 positive facilities 4. Appropriate isolation and placement of COVID-19 patients 5. Implement enhanced access controls 6. Enhance control of staff access 7. Effective notifications 8. Continue containment efforts   During the press conference, the Governor also announced a new statewide testing and contact tracing program. Developed and implemented by DSHS, this program will help identify individuals who have contracted COVID-19 and those who may need to quarantine or be tested due to potential exposure. This phased implementation will allow Texans to box in the virus and slow, or even stop, further spread. Phase I of the tracing program has been completed, and Phase II begins today. Phase III begins May 11. More details about the contact tracing program are available in the Governor’s Report to Open Texas beginning on page 16.    Governor Abbott today also relaxed certain restrictions related to health care professionals and issued amended requirements related to hospital capacity. Under an Executive Order (GA-19) issued today: *All licensed health care professionals shall be limited in their practice by, and must comply with, any emergency rules promulgated by their respective licensing agencies dictating minimum standards for safe practice during the COVID-19 disaster. *Every hospital licensed under Chapter 241 of the Texas Health & Safety Code shall reserve at least 15% of its hospital capacity for treatment of COVID-19 patients, accounting for the range of clinical severity of COVID-19 patients, as determined by HHSC.    Additionally, the Governor issued an Executive Order (GA-20) to eliminate the mandatory 14-day quarantine period for individuals traveling from Louisiana. Under GA-20, the mandated 14-day quarantine for travelers from the following areas remains in place: California; Connecticut; New York; New Jersey; Washington; Atlanta, Georgia; Chicago, Illinois; Detroit, Michigan, and Miami, Florida.    View Texans Helping Texans: The Governor’s Report to Open Texas.    View the Governor’s Executive Orders issued today: GA-18: Relating to the expanded reopening of services as part of the safe, strategic plan to Open Texas in response to the COVID-19 disaster. GA-19: Relating to hospital capacity during the COVID-19 disaster. GA-20: Relating to expanding travel without restrictions as part of the safe, strategic plan to Open Texas in response to the COVID-19 disaster. Source: Office of the Governor Greg Abbott, https://gov.texas.gov/