COVID-19
City Council approves business recovery grant program The City Council on Feb. 23 approved a grant program that will provide $210,000 to support Bainbridge Island businesses recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic. The City is partnering with the Kitsap Economic Development Alliance (“KEDA”) to administer the grant program. Businesses may receive between $5,000 and $10,000 based upon their COVID-19 financial impacts and the number of total applications received by the City.
Program details
- The application period will open March 12 and closes March 28. Applications will be available at kitsapcaressmallbiz.com.
- Awards are expected to be disbursed in April.
- Use of proceeds: If awarded, grant proceeds can generally be used for business expenses permitted under IRS regulations.
- All applications will be reviewed for eligibility criteria and verified for application requirements.
- Grant amounts will be based on financial impact due to COVID-19, number of eligible applicants, available funding, and other criteria.
- Applicants will be required to provide a detailed explanation describing how COVID-19 impacted them negatively and how grant funds will be used. Applicants are not required to submit receipts.
- Priority will be given to industries most negatively affected by the pandemic, such as hospitality, tourism, fitness, and small retail.
How do I know if my small business qualifies?
- You must have an active business license with the City of Bainbridge.
- You must have a physical, commercial location in the City of Bainbridge on or before March 1, 2020 and have been in business since at least March 1, 2019 or earlier.
- You must be a for-profit business, nonprofit, or financial cooperative with no more than 50 full-time equivalent employees and annual revenues $5 million or less.
- You must be able to demonstrate significant negative financial impact due to COVID-19, backed up by documentation. (Note: Most commonly this will be shown by comparing annual revenues from 2019 to 2020, though other justifications will be considered.)
- You must be in compliance with Governor Inslee's Healthy Washington guidelines and previous related guidelines.
The business recovery grant program will be supported through the City’s general fund balance reserves in lieu of federal grant monies. Watch the Feb. 23 discussion here.
Staff provides test site, vaccine distribution update to Council
On Jan. 26, Emergency Management Coordinator Anne LeSage provided an update to the City Council on the City’s COVID-19 test site and vaccine distribution efforts. Watch the presentation in the video below. The presentation begins at 41:40.
City Hall reopening date pending due to Kitsap County status
The timing of any changes to reopening City facilities will be dependent on the county’s status in the Healthy Washington phased reopening plan.
When the doors reopen to the public at City Hall, you should expect the following changes:
- Plexiglass barriers at front counters
- Directional signage for movement of staff and visitors
- Six feet floor markings and stanchions to guide visitors
- New, lower occupancy limits for conference rooms
City Police personnel and Public Works Operations and Maintenance crews will continue to perform their regular duties, within the limitations established by the current restrictions. The Municipal Court will remain closed to in-person appearances until further orders of the Washington State Supreme Court. See the "City Operations" tab below for more information on City services.
City dock reopens to recreational guest moorage
The City reopened its dock May 29 to recreational guest moorage, including overnight stays, as part of Kitsap County’s transition into Phase 2 of the Safe Start plan for COVID-19 recovery.
What guests need to know:
- The moorage is assigned on a first-come-first-serve basis.
- At this time, rafting (to accommodate additional boats) will not be allowed.
- The showers remain closed to guests.
- The sewage pumpout station remains available.
All City dock visitors are urged to follow public health guidance, which includes wearing a face covering and maintaining six feet of distance from others in public whenever possible.
The launch ramp and boat trailer parking at Waterfront Park reopened May 5.
Help us spread the word about the state health order requiring masks to be worn in public spaces. Download posters below. If you’d like to pick up posters at City Hall, please call 206-842-7633.
- Don’t breach our state health order. Wear a mask. (11x17 PDF)
- Do your part. Wear a mask. (8.5x11 PDF)