Nye encourages community to participate in CARES funding surveys

Nye County is asking the public to participate in two important surveys regarding the financial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, one focusing on small businesses and another centered on individuals and families, the results of which will help guide the county as it moves forward during the public health crisis.

“The county has launched the Small Business CARES Act Funding Survey and the Individual/Family Household CARES Act Funding Survey to gather input, opinions and ideas from residents and business owners on the financial impact during the COVID-19 crisis. Results will be used in the development of programs funded by the CARES Act dollars allocated to Nye County. No need to register to take either survey,” Nye County Public Information Officer Arnold Knightly announced to the community last week.

On Thursday, June 11, Gov. Steve Sisolak’s office notified the public that local governments across the state, including Nye County, would be receiving CARES Act funding from the federal government. The collective payout for all governments of populations less than 500,000 within the Silver State was $148 million, with Nye County set to receive $8.49 million of the allocation. Now, the county is hoping that the community will take a small amount of their time to fill out the survey pertinent to them, which will help give the county a solid direction when deciding how Nye’s CARES Act dollars are spent.

“Nye County has not established a program to allocate funding at this time. We are requesting information to help us determine the needs of the community. With this information, we will implement programs that will best serve Nye County communities,” the introduction page for one of the surveys reads.

The page also includes a link to a list of approved uses for the CARES relief funding the county received, which covers a wide array of possibilities. Everything from salaries and benefits for overtime or additional county employees needed to respond to or as a result of COVID-19, testing and contract costs, personal protective equipment acquisitions and additional senior services costs, to rental and utility assistance, outreach and communication, job training, business assistance and much more can be covered by the millions of dollars Nye County received in CARES relief funding.

For those taking the small business survey, there are 12 questions focused on rental assistance and personal protective equipment reimbursements during the COVID-19 pandemic. The survey asked whether the business has received federal funding for rental assistance and if so, when that assistance will end, as well as whether the business owner is behind on rent payments and how much they owe and which specific months remain unpaid. The survey also asks if the business owner anticipates they will pay rent timely throughout the rest of 2020 and if not, when they do expect to be able to make their rent. The survey continues with questions regarding whether the business has purchased any personal protective equipment due to the pandemic and if so, how much has been spent on such equipment, along with whether the business has requested funding for reimbursement for the purchase of that equipment. The survey then concludes with a space to allow for additional comments regarding rental assistance and personal protective equipment.

For the individual/family household survey, questions start off much the same, inquiring whether the household has received rental or mortgage assistance, either through Nye County Health and Human Services or other programs and if so, when that assistance will end. The survey also asks whether the individual or family is behind on their rent or mortgage payments, how much is owed, what months remain unpaid, etc. The survey then moves on to food assistance, asking whether the individual or family have received federal funding for food or assistance from health and human services or the senior nutrition program for food and when that assistance ends. The survey also asks if the individual or family has experienced a job loss after March 16, how many people comprise the household and their age ranges.

The surveys will be available until August 31 and can be accessed at http://nyecounty.net/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=969&fbclid=IwAR3IxOuEXM3aGgzLgvc5xBqMGej6RRW_sjAhF3gXA-SFQSKxPy8OtDHnols

Contact reporter Robin Hebrock at rhebrock@pvtimes.com