Town Building Status

• Shrewsbury Town Hall will be reopening to the public by appointment only beginning Tuesday July 7, 2020 for essential services that cannot be done online. Visit www.Shrewsburyma.gov/reopening for more details. 
• Senior Center will be CLOSED to the public until further notice. Staff will be available by phone/email during normal business hours (M-F 8:00 am- 4:30 pm)
• Police and Fire Stations are open for emergency services ONLY 
• Shrewsbury Public School Reopening Info: https://schools.shrewsburyma.gov/district/reopening-information
• Shrewsbury Public Library Reopening Info- https://shrewsburyma.gov/344/Library

Useful Information

• A drop-box is located outside of the front entrance at Town Hall for the payment of bills. A larger drop-box (green) is located at the front entrance for the drop-off of any other town related correspondence that won’t fit in the smaller box.
• Although the Senior Center is closed, the Meals on Wheels program will continue to operate and transportation (bus rides) are also being provided. Call the Senior Center for details 508-841-8640.
• OPEN MEETING LAW MODIFICATIONS: On March 12, Governor Baker issued an emergency order making modifications to the state’s Open Meeting Law to allow state, quasi and local governments to continue to carry out essential functions during the COVID-19 outbreak. Boards & Committees will be able to conduct their meetings remotely. Information on how the public may join an open meeting is located at the top of the posted agenda for that meeting.  PRESS RELEASE | ORDER 
• Click here for guidance on participating in public meetings remotely 

• On March 10, Governor Charlie Baker declared a state of emergency, giving the Administration more flexibility to respond to the outbreak. Read more about the declaration and associated orders. Click here for information and guidance from the State level regarding the outbreak of Covid-19:  https://www.mass.gov/resource/information-on-the-outbreak-of-coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19 
• On March 13, President Trump declared a National Emergency. Learn about international travel restrictions, how you can prepare for coronavirus, and what the U.S. government is doing in response to the virus: https://www.usa.gov/coronavirus 
• On Saturday, March 28, 2020, in response to Governor Charlie Baker’s request for federal disaster assistance, the White House and FEMA announced that the President has issued a Major Disaster Declaration that will make federal disaster assistance available beyond what was included in the Emergency Declaration declared by President Trump on March 13, 2020. Federal aid will be available to cities and towns, state agencies and certain non-profits in all Massachusetts counties to help pay for emergency protective measures (response costs) related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Massachusetts Four-Phase Approach to Reopening

Click here for more info: https://www.mass.gov/doc/reopening-massachusetts 

Need Help Fast?

Get the answers you need!   It’s Free.  Confidential.  Multilingual. Dial 2-1-1 or search online. https://mass211.org/ 

Click here for more information from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts on reopening your business. 

General business guidance for reopening

Information to help businesses meet the self-certification requirement to reopen. All businesses must meet these requirements before reopening. Businesses operating to provide Essential Services, as defined in the Governor’s March 23, 2020 Executive Order, updated on March 31, April 28 and May 15, may remain open and have until May 25, 2020 to comply with these mandatory safety standards.

• COVID-19 control plan template – Template that satisfies the written control plan requirement for self-certification
• Compliance attestation poster – Poster that customer facing businesses are required to print, sign, and post in an area within the business premises that is visible to workers and visitors
• Employer Poster and Worker posters – Posters that businesses can print and display within the business premises to describe the rules for maintaining social distancing, hygiene protocols, and cleaning and disinfecting

Other Resources:

• FREE 2-hour virtual training: Next Steps for Worker Safety As Organizations Open During COVID-19- Classes during the month of July
• COVID-19 Resources  Guidance for Businesses from Mass.gov: https://www.mass.gov/info-details/covid-19-resources-and-guidance-for-businesses 
• Interim Guidance for Businesses and Employers to Plan and Respond to Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19): https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/guidance-business-response.html?deliveryName=USCDC_10_4-DM24118
• The Central Massachusetts Regional Planning Commission (CMRPC)has announced that they will be administering a grant assistance program to small businesses in Central Massachusetts impacted by the closure and losses as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic: For more information on eligibility and the application itself, visit this link. https://www.cmrpcregionalservices.org/aggrant. 
• Massachusetts Announces Additional Administrative Tax Relief Measures for Businesses Across Massachusetts: https://www.mass.gov/news/massachusetts-announces-additional-administrative-tax-relief-measures-for-businesses-across
• Coronavirus Emergency Loans Small Business Guide and Checklist
• Temporary Paid Leave and Family Medical Leave Guide
• Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) Program Guide
• Employee Retention Tax Credit Guide
• Coronavirus Small Business Guide
• Coronavirus Response Toolkit
•  Baker-Polito Administration Anounces Grants to Boost Production of Personal Protective Equipment, Critical Supplies in MA to Support COVID-19 Response: https://www.mass.gov/news/baker-polito-administration-announces-grants-to-boost-production-of-personal-protective 

• SBA to Provide Disaster Assistance Loans for Small Businesses Impacted by Coronavirus (COVID-19): https://www.sba.gov/about-sba/sba-newsroom/press-releases-media-advisories/sba-provide-disaster-assistance-loans-small-businesses-impacted-coronavirus-covid-19 

• The Small Business Administration (SBA) disaster programs spelled out in just a few clicks:
  More on Paycheck Protection Program
   
  PPP Bank Locator
  
• 2020 Small Business Recovery Loan Fund:  To apply for a loan of up to $75,000, Massachusetts businesses can complete the application found on MGCC’s website, www.empoweringSmallBusiness.org. Completed applications can be sent to mgcc@massgcc.com with the subject “2020 Small Business Recovery Loan Fund”.
• Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL):  Provides small businesses with working capital loans of up to $2 million to help meet financial obligations and operating expenses until normal operations resume.Small businesses and non-profits affected by coronavirus should download, complete, and submit the SBA EIDL Worksheet at https://lnkd.in/ewF7VBy to expedite activation of the EIDL program. Completed forms can be submitted by email to Disaster.Recovery@mass.gov or by fax to (508) 820-1401. If you do fax the form, please include your email. Please note, this initial survey form is not a SBA loan application. When the EIDL program is activated, you will be contacted to apply directly to the SBA and this website will be updated with application details. For questions, please contact Disaster.Recovery@mass.gov.
• Financial Resources for 501(c)(6) Organizations
  Although 501(c)(6) organizations were not included in the $350 billion Paycheck Protection Act loan program, they are eligible to apply for a loan through the SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program. To outline what is available to 501(c)(6) organizations through the EIDL program and the application process, the U.S. Chamber has created a one-pager that we hope will prove to be a useful resource for you and your members.
  For additional information on the EIDL program, we encourage you to visit the SBA’s webpage.
• Disaster Loan Assistance:  The Small Business Administration (SBA) provides low-interest disaster loans to businesses of all sizes, private non-profit organizations, homeowners, and renters. SBA disaster loans can be used to repair or replace the following items damaged or destroyed in a declared disaster: real estate, personal property, machinery and equipment, and inventory and business assets. For more information, visit: https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela/.
• State Rapid Response Program: A federally mandated, pre-layoff service designed for companies and employees experience a layoff or closing. Provides layoff aversion and early intervention services to companies and their employees. Contact the Central Massachusetts Program Coordinator Sandra Foley at 978-534-1481 x237 or via email at Sandra.Foley@massmail.state.ma.us for more information. Includes the State Workshare Program, which allows companies to reduce the work hours of permanent employees by 10-60% by providing unemployment insurance benefits to employees to supplement their temporary lower wage.  Apply for a workshare program at: https://www.mass.gov/how-to/apply-for-workshare.
• Small Business Strong is a partnership between several organizations across the Commonwealth created to provide high-quality services to Massachusetts small businesses to help them bridge through the current economic crisis, with a particular focus on those that are minority- and women-owned, at no cost to small business owners. It provides access to a group of professional volunteers, able to provide guidance and advice on how to best addresses challenges they may be facing, and further consultation in the areas of Finance and Accounting, Operations, Marketing and Digital, Human Resources and Law. Visit the Small Business Strong website at www.smallbstrong.com 

Businesses that are struggling as a result of COVID-19 may reach out to:

Kevin J. Kuros

Regional Director – Central Mass

Massachusetts Office of Business Development

kevin.j.kuros@mass.gov

(617) 549-1803 cell

Please take a moment to share this confidential survey of how COVID-19 has impacted businesses in Southern Worcester County. 

Your assistance in sharing the link of this survey with business owners in your community helps CMRPC understand exactly what the businesses in our region need at this time and what resources we can allocate on behalf of businesses. Please share every way you can, through social media outlets, newsletters, and email blasts, word of mouth etc.

SURVEY LINK

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/LV5TBVH