Small businesses

Westchester County Announces Grant Initiative of $10 Million in Funding to Local Businesses, Nonprofits

September 16, 2020 by Inside Press

Westchester County Executive George Latimer today announced a $10 million funding initiative to support small businesses and nonprofits facing challenges due to COVID-19. Westchester County Business FIRST: Financial Investments for Recovery and a Sustainable Tomorrow is a new grant program designed to offer immediate financial relief to organizations in Westchester County that have been negatively impacted by the pandemic.

L-R: Bridget Gibbons, Westchester County’s Director of Economic Development; George Latimer, Westchester County Executive; Dr. Marsha Gordon, Business Council of Westchester President/CEO

“We are at a critical point in Westchester County’s history – and such times call for leadership and innovation,” said Latimer. “The Westchester County Business FIRST Program will provide urgent financial assistance to businesses and nonprofits now, and set the foundation to rebuild our economy as we work toward a sustainable future.”

The Westchester County Business FIRST Program is being administered by the County Office of Economic Development through the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. The Program is open to businesses and nonprofits that employ 99 or fewer people and whose primary business location is in Westchester County. Eligible business and nonprofits can apply for grants of up to $49,000.

Applications will be accepted from September 21 through September 30, 2020 at https://westchestercatalyst.com/business-FIRST-programs/

“These are difficult times, but as ‘The Catalyst’ for economic growth and vitality, the Office of Economic Development is here to support County businesses and nonprofits,” said Bridget Gibbons, Westchester County’s Director of Economic Development. “These organizations help fuel our economy and provide quality jobs in our communities. This funding is designed to help them recover and get back to business.”

To be eligible, organizations must be in good standing with Westchester County and are required to demonstrate revenue losses of at least 25% from March 7, 2020 to present due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The applicant must establish that the organization was a financially viable operation prior to March 7, 2020, the date Governor Andrew Cuomo signed Executive Order 202 declaring a disaster emergency. The organization must have been open as of Feb. 1, 2020, currently be in operation, or closed temporarily and plan to reopen for business in 2020.

Business Council of Westchester President/CEO Dr. Marsha Gordon said: “The Business Council of Westchester (BCW) is extremely supportive of this program and applauds the leadership of County Executive George Latimer and Director of Economic Development, Bridget Gibbons in developing this initiative for small business and not-for-profits in Westchester. These sectors have been especially hard hit and desperately need these financial resources to survive. The County is also analyzing which sectors have been hardest hit, so that these resources can be deployed most effectively. It will be important to make sure that all businesses are aware of this opportunity , so outreach via business organizations, community- based organizations and churches will also be important, as well as outreach in different languages to ensure that as many as possible are aware. The BCW will certainly work to share with our outreach to our over 1000 members and robust database of County businesses and not for profits as well as through social media. This is a ray of hope for those organizations struggling to stay alive.”

Westchester County Association President & CEO Michael N. Romita said: “So many of Westchester’s businesses and non-profits suffered significant economic hardship as a result of the pandemic crisis. As our local economy begins to transition from reopening to recovery, programs like Westchester County’s Business FIRST initiative will go a long way towards helping businesses regain their economic footing. We applaud the County Executive and his economic development team for its innovative use of CARES Act funds and look forward to helping spread the word to eligible organizations.”

Nonprofit Westchester Executive Director Jan Fisher said: “Nonprofit Westchester is grateful for our partnership with Westchester County Government during these unprecedented times. We thank the County Executive and his team for this grant opportunity, and for ensuring that there are county resources available to support nonprofit organizations as they continue to provide essential services to Westchester’s most vulnerable residents.”

Certain entities are not eligible to apply for Westchester County Business FIRST grant, including units of government; real estate holding companies, businesses or nonprofits that generate revenue through passive real estate; adult entertainment establishments; gas stations; and businesses or nonprofits that have defaulted on federal debt, including loans from the Small Business Administration.

For more information on the application process, visit https://westchestercatalyst.com/business-FIRST-programs/

News Courtesy of the Office of the Westchester County Executive

What Local Businesses are Planning as the Curve Flattens and Restrictions Ease

June 4, 2020 by Kiran Sheth

As the coronavirus continues to spread all around the world, many local businesses have reported a massive drop in revenue as consumers remain at their homes. The virus has dealt a devastating blow for hundreds of restaurants and other small businesses as they are forced to close in response to public health guidelines. According to the U.S. Labor Department, as of May 14th, 36.5 million people have filed for unemployment in the past eight weeks bringing the unemployment rate to 14.7 percent in April – the highest since the Great Depression.

I had the pleasure of speaking with many local businesses from the surrounding area about their experiences with the coronavirus and how they have been adapting in these unprecedented times. As a resident of Chappaqua, I have patronized many local businesses and understand their value to the members of the community. While I spoke to the businesses (all generous/recent sponsors of the Inside Press which has also been working hard to stay the course), many expressed feelings of caution and worry even as they inch closer to “Phase 1” and “Phase 2” reentry dates. https://www.westchestergov.com/home/all-press-releases/8388-april-15-county-executive-george-latimer-gives-westchester-county-coronavirus-update-westchester-forward-phase-i

To date, many businesses have been applying for loans, first federal ones, and more recently a state option loan called New York Forward has been very specific to small businesses, and was announced by Governor Cuomo. https://forward.ny.gov/ Meanwhile, the owners of small businesses describe Herculean efforts between finding time to explore and pursue loan options while also keeping focused on creating new and unique solutions to handle the hurdles they face in a safe and secure manner, and just basically keep up with the day to day tasks involved in running a business. From transitioning to virtual platforms to implementing curbside pickup, the local businesses are following emerging guidelines and figuring out how to continue to serve the community in whatever way they can, and prepare for any ‘new normal’ the future may bring. Here are eight businesses whose owners offered a glimpse into both current day challenges AND relaunch/reentry plans!

Armonk Tennis Club

Tim Shea, the owner of Armonk Tennis Club expressed the intense precautions that people have to take while at the club. “As soon as people arrive on the property, they are assigned a court to go play on. It is only singles at this point. When they get to their court, it is recommended that they have labeled their own tennis balls. We don’t have benches or water on the courts and we are sanitizing the nets everytime after people play – this is no longer the ideal club.”

Much like any other store or club, Armonk Tennis Club is ready to resume their day to day operations. “Physically we are ready to go back to last year within a day.” However, there is one caveat – “we don’t know what the new normal is.” Shea furthered this by expressing that “hopefully at some point doubles and group teachings are allowed and that social distancing can be maintained.” Armonk Tennis Club was the first recreational facility to close down in March. Despite that, Shea passionately explains that the club is “truly following the guidelines handed down by the county, which is taking their orders from the state.”

Aura Salon and Style Bar

“As a hair salon, it is very hard to know when we are going to reopen because it’s not listed anywhere,” explains Leticia Villagran, owner of Aura Salon and Style Bar. “It is really hard to prepare for the reopening – nobody was prepared for this.” However, Villagran seems more than ready for the challenges that lie ahead. Like many businesses, she is practicing curbside pickup for hair coloring agents and other supplies. Looking forwards, she has “ordered masks, sanitizers, and a very heavy duty UV lamp. Everytime I will use a comb or scissors, I will put them under the lamp for 10 minutes before using it on the next client – it is all about being safe.”

She has also ordered a disposable plastic shield for the chairs, but most important to securing the safety of her clients and workers is the structure of her salon. “The building I have the salon in is three floors, and this is going to be great because I plan on having a few stylists on each floor. This way I can have more clients while still being safe.” Villagran feels like she is confident to accommodate people in a cautious manner when her store reopens. “From the chairs to the tools that we are using we are going to be making sure that everybody is safe.”

Breathe Pilates and Yoga

Adina Ellick, the owner of Breathe Pilates and Yoga in downtown Chappaqua described how her business has been dramatically altered due to the virus outbreak. “My business is completely virtual now. My hope is to lean into private sessions as soon as I am able with limited people in the studio at each time” she states. The state of her business also impacts how her clients approach their traditional yoga experiences. “I have some clients that don’t want any part of it, and they are waiting until the doors open again. However, I have other clients who have taken more classes than they have ever taken – they love the availability and accessibility. Finally, I have clients that I would have never been able to get.”

Ellick also has some special ideas available for the public when her store reopens. “I will be offering re-entry packages when I open, virtual classes will still be available and I will be implementing a virtual package for those people who want more than just the studio.” At the end of the interview, she passionately asserted that she “wants people’s opinions. I want people to reach out to me – tell me their fears, tell me their desires. Tell me what I can do to help them move to the next phase of re-entering back into some sense of normalcy – we need to start to meld back together into a community.”

Chappaqua Paint and Hardware

“I think the face of retail is completely changed,” exclaims Peter James, the manager of Chappaqua Paint and Hardware. “We are sanitizing every 20 minutes. Masks are worn throughout the store. Gloves are worn throughout the store.” Chappaqua Paint and Hardware was deemed an “essential” business during this time, but regardless, “it is always safety first in everything that we do. Even before everything started, it was a matter of not only keeping our customers safe, but our staff healthy as well.” Chappaqua Paint and Hardware has also been adopting a phrase that is becoming part of the norm – curbside pickup. “You have to remodel your business because now you are taking a lot more phone calls – it’s definitely a change in the way that we are operating.”

James seemed to be optimistic about the future. “Once we do start opening up, it’s going to be a great thing.” He continued, referencing his fellow businesses in downtown Chappaqua, stating “There have been a lot of businesses that haven’t been able to open their doors and adding them back into the mix will invigorate people to start coming outside. It’s going to be nice to have a downtown that is rejuvenated and open for business.”

Eye Designs

Many businesses are adapting the best that they can to the ambiguous “new normal.” Jaime Herman, the manager of Eye Designs in Armonk states that “I haven’t really been open – it’s just been on an emergency basis – a few times a week. We have a lot of things in place for cleaning and disinfecting frames if someone touches them. We have masks, face-shields and everything necessary.”

Herman further explained that business has been almost “non-existent.” However, they are finding creative solutions to the problems presented. “I have been able to order contact lenses for people and have them be shipped directly to the patient so they don’t have to come in.” Eye Designs is in a precarious position as to buy eyeglasses “you really need to come in. That personal aspect is missing.”

Herman included that the store will be “offering $120 off for a complete pair of prescription eyeglasses.” Herman concluded on a positive note, exclaiming that “We look forward to serving the community, like we have for the last 20 years, and we hope to be there for the community throughout this process.”

Family Britches

“This has been a big negative for any retail business, particularly one that relies on relationships,” Barry Mishkin, co-founder of Family Britches in Chappaqua explains. “Customers make appointments and come in, but everybody is staying home and following orders.” Most of their business at the moment has come from mail, phone and online orders. Despite this, Family Britches is committed to ensuring the well-being of their customers. “We are staying in touch with our clients and are reassuring them that everything is going to be okay. We have called over 1,000 people over the past nine weeks.” When the store reopens, they have “masks available, a UV light and hand sanitizer.”

Family Britches is devoted to providing the same personalized service that they have done in the past for their customers. “We are here to help and assist our customers. We are not like a department store where you ‘promote, promote, promote.’ We are here to fill their needs and we want them to feel comfortable going into a place where they can see and speak to the same people they have spoken to for years.”

Hickory and Tweed Ski and Cycle

Other business owners have detailed how the virus has been affecting them. Skip Beitzel, owner of the well-known Hickory and Tweed Ski and Cycle in Armonk was at loss for words when asked about how the bike shop is faring. “I can’t describe it. I just can’t describe it. The bike business is exploding – none of the vendors has any more bikes. Tuning bikes is all we are going to be doing from now into the summer – we don’t have anything else to sell.”

Beitzel went on to describe the retail aspect of his store. “I think we are going to be having appointment based shopping, but we are going to be doing more with online shopping and curb-side pickup – I’m hoping for the best, but I am strategically planning for the worst.” In the future, Hickory and Tweed will be offering half off for everything in retail for ski wear during the summer

Much like any business, Hickory and Tweed is dedicated to maintaining the safety of their customers by “listening very carefully to what the county executive, George Latimer has been saying. Everyday is unique and presents a different challenge.” Beitzel also hopes to learn from other businesses, stating that this process requires a lot of “learning by doing.”

LaGravinese Jewelers

“It’s pretty easy to control how many people are in the store at a time,” describes Debra LaGravinese, owner of LaGravinese Jewelers in Armonk. “We post on Instagram and social media that one or two people are allowed in the store at a time and we have curbside pickup. We have changed to manage within this.” Similarly to other local businesses, LaGravinese Jewelers is implementing curbside pickup into their adaptations to the restrictions of the coronavirus. In order to cope with the loss of business, LaGravinese has people “text me directly. I have repairs people left here so I would meet them or deliver them.” Debra is hopeful for the future of her business as “people still want to celebrate the good birthdays and graduations.” She continued stating that “June is usually one of our busiest months.” However, there are still some hindrances before things get completely back to normal. “Things have changed because my employees have kids who don’t have daycare that is open right now, so my hours are completely different.” She concluded stating “the best thing I can do is to make people feel safe and comfortable when they come.”

New Castle’s Town Board Perseveres Through the COVID-19 Pandemic

April 3, 2020 by Grace Bennett

April 3, 2020 Chappaqua, NY– It seems like many moons ago that New Castle’s town board–spirits running high and sleeves rolled up to serve New Castle–gathered for a packed inauguration ceremony on January 27 when the idea of social distancing could not have been more remote, or the idea of working ‘remotely’ was not on anyone’s mind, either. It’s safe to say too that no one that evening was thinking of how local public officials might navigate a global pandemic hitting home come mid spring. But here we are, with town boards everywhere, and New Castle being no exception, thrust into the roles of informing and leading residents on the best personal safety practices as they keep abreast of and share highlights specific to New Castle, and include near daily updates from the county, state and federal sources.

With all this on my mind, and on many of my neighbors’ minds, I decided to engage in a conversation to see how my own hometown board is faring.

Speaking for the Town of New Castle, Deputy Town Supervisor Jeremy Saland explained the board has been closely consulting with first responders–the Chappaqua and Millwood Fire Departments, the Chappaqua and Ossining Volunteer Ambulance Corps–and with other ‘essential’ town hall staff who remain engaged in moving town business forward, too… all the while juggling multiple family responsibilities and/or even personal crises themselves.

“It is a responsibility that we accept–delegating different things to different people… But it’s also important to remember that everyone has a role, everyone plays a part,” Saland shared. “We also all need a good bit of levity to maintain our mental health, so I like to say, ‘all hands on deck’ sure, but also ‘all clean hands on deck’– we all have come together; everyone has really been fabulous and pulling their weight.”

To that end, Saland described Ivy Pool’s leadership during this period as “exemplary.”

“She has been conferencing weekly with other Town Supervisors to ascertain how she can protect and best serve our respective residents: said Saland. “Both she and I have been on multiple conference calls a week with the County Executive advocating for our municipality, seeking clarity on critical issues and asking the important questions.

“Ivy has been a pillar for New Castle managing the municipality along with the incredible efforts of Jill Shapiro, our Town Administrator.”

In the meantime, as residents all collectively hope for the best but steel for the worst, they are grateful for town hall efforts that include updates shared several times a week via Town of New Castle eNews. The updates are also posted to social media on the Town of New Castle Facebook page and a second page called New Castle Community Discussions.

Regarding the impact on small business, board members Lauren Levin and Lisa Katz are working in consultation with the Chappaqua-Millwood Chamber of Commerce too on a variety of initiatives to help small businesses, and/or directly with area businesses themselves, many of whom are assuming volunteer roles, too. Katz also said she has been fielding general questions from the public about COVID-19 especially those regarding the new social distancing.

Similarly, led by Jason Lichtenthal, town residents are rolling up their sleeves via the New Castle Volunteer Match delivering goods and services to those most in need, too, on account of the COVID-19 impact. In the meantime, town board meetings have gone virtual; basically, town board members, town staff and first responders are all working cooperatively and largely from home following stay at home health and safety guidelines too while assuming their respective roles and responsibilities.

New Castle Town Board on the evening of the 1/27/2020 Inauguration ceremony (left to right): Deputy Supervisor Jeremy Saland, Lisa Katz, Supervisor Ivy Pool, Laura Levin and Jason Lichtenthal Photo by Carolyn Simpson

Keeping regular and vital business moving forward is a key goal too–whether a simple reminder to fill out the U.S. Census or issuing the town tax bill, which was recently sent out. Essential staff includes those preparing town documents. “They can’t just sit. Whomever can work among support staff are doing things from home. The goal is to keep moving things forward. The County and the Westchester County Board of Legislators have proposed a plan to assist taxpayers and address penalties that we continue to review.”

Commenting on the pandemic and its impact here at home: As of April 2, the town board confirmed the number of positive cases in New Castle: 51. Saland emphasized that “while the numbers are important, they don’t tell the whole story.”

“You also have to be smart when you look at the numbers; we are in Westchester, where the numbers, especially those in the hardest hit municipalities of New Rochelle, Mount Vernon and Yonkers, are outpacing everyone in the state–outside of New York City. “We must keep taking the steps necessary to mitigate who will get this illness.” The bottom line,” Saland added, “is that the borders between counties, cities and towns are superficial, and we all have to follow the best practices to stay safe.”

A key goal has been to protect the health of first responders in the frontlines as they institute safety protocol in their interactions with the general public. Saland said there is also a mechanism in place that facilitates assistance between departments and even other municipalities. It is referred to as “mutual assistance between first responders.”

The general population of New Castle has been generally very cooperative; the New Castle Police Department remains vigilant and ‘on top of’ any trouble, he said, if issues arise. He said it’s important to remember too that sometimes an incident reported online in social media is not necessarily as it is described, either; rumors easily spread. Officers will be deployed as needed to investigate.

I asked about sanitation schedules, which are contracted out these days by SaniPro. “There is nothing that would indicate that will stop or that they will alter their schedule.”

The U.S. Post Office continues to provide its service, too, at their Chappaqua and Millwood locations. The Town does not coordinate with them, said Saland, as “they answer to the federal government.”

Finally, I asked Saland how he is personally managing. He immediately tipped his hat to his wife Leslie Saland, a physician treating patients, who is also working from home with three kids. “She is doing a yeoman’s job. I won’t ever take credit for my wife’s work. She is as smart and kind as she is giving and hardworking,” he said.

Saland also noted: “I have the same fears and concerns as everyone else. I started my own law firm. After years as a prosecutor, I built it into a successful and thriving practice. As New York City and New York State shut down, I took a frightening hit.”

We are all truly in this together, he said: “As I stated on inauguration night: there is no difference between ‘us’ (the town board) here and ‘you’– we just happen to run for public office. Everyone needs to do their part in maintaining child-care, education, mental health and general wellness. We need to be kind and respectful to one another, all the while knowing that we are going to get on the other side of this. There is a mountain to climb but we will summit it together.”

“It’s critical that residents understand, and I’m stating this with complete sincerity, that the town board, first responders and town staff are genuinely doing their best and want to see this community not just merely get through this but to be in an even better place when we are done.”

“People should feel good and comfortable and confident about that cooperation: we are fortunate that we have a concerned, educated community that cares about each other beyond their doorstep and property lines. That’s critical to effectuating the government and country’s role to minimize the spread and break us free from the grip of COVID-19.”

I hesitated to ask, but did: “Are you bracing yourself for tragedies in this town?”

Saland answered: “Can I honestly say that we are not going to have a loss of life here? And assert that there are not going to be very sick people here, either? No, I can’t say any of that. Things may be very, very bad, for some, and that would be extremely unfortunate, but if we follow all the guidance, the chances of that are greatly reduced.”

The crisis in fact hit home for Saland over the past week as his family met the critical health needs of his dad. “My father was diagnosed with cancer a month ago, and surgery was scheduled for him to remove a kidney and part of his bladder at a New York hospital. Surgery was cancelled because the doctor was concerned because of COVID-19 patients at the hospital and the risk it posed to his health.”

“Fortunately, after the hospital canceled and another could not perform the procedure even though he was about a month away from their physician suggested deadline, a team at the upstate University Hospital in Syracuse came through. “This past Friday, we got the call from Syracuse, and he drove up that night before undergoing surgery the following morning.

“Other than the expected post-surgery pain, he is doing well and has a positive attitude. I haven’t seen him and likely can’t for some time, just as my mom couldn’t go with him to the hospital,” said Saland. “He was alone, because he is one of those people with immunocompromised health for whom we all have to do our part to safeguard.”