Stoddard County Commission discusses several COVID-19 topics

Tuesday, April 7, 2020

A variety of topics concerning the COVID-19 pandemic, including the sharing of information regarding financial assistance for small business owners, were discussed Monday during the Stoddard County Commission’s weekly meeting.

Presiding Commissioner Danny Talkington spoke of loans available through the Small Business Administration.

The SBA has two loan programs that could be beneficial to local small business owners, according to information provided by Dexter Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Alisha Trammell.

The paycheck protection program is an SBA loan that helps businesses keep their workforce employed during the COVID-19 pandemic. SBA will forgive loans if all employees are kept on the payroll for eight weeks and the money is used for payroll, rent, mortgage interest or utilities, according to the SBA website.

These loans are available through local banks.

“Fortunately, almost all of our banks in Dexter are SBA-approved,” Trammell said.

The following banks in Dexter handle this type of loan: Bank of Advance, First Midwest Bank, First Missouri Bank of Southeast Missouri, First State Bank and Trust, Southern Bank and U.S. Bank, according to Trammell.

For more information on paycheck protection loans, visit treasury.gov.

Economic injury disaster loan emergency advances provide up to $10,000 of economic relief to businesses that are currently experiencing temporary difficulties, according to the SBA website. The loan turns into an emergency grant if used for items including rent, mortgage, payroll and utilities.

• Stoddard County Public Health Center Director Ben Godwin reported that no cases of COVID-19 had been reported since last Wednesday. He said that the number of coronavirus cases in the county remains at seven. Several people with symptoms had been tested, but all have returned negative so far, he said.

“We had seven tests on Friday. We’re getting more people tested. (That’s good.) We’re pretty fortunate because we’ve had no positives (since Wednesday),” Godwin said.

Godwin reported that the Stoddard County Ambulance District has designated two ambulances to be used in response to potential COVID-19 cases.

“Those ambulances are used for pickup calls, especially ones involving respiratory issues,” Emergency Management Agency Director Kent Polsgrove said. “They don’t want to contaminate the rest of ambulances. … They go the extra mile to clean those (two ambulances) out.”

• Godwin has been contacted by several businesses about the stay-at-home orders.

“We’ve gotten a few more calls about who can be open, especially following the governor’s order,” he said. “Our order’s a little more strict than the governor’s. I think we’re ahead of the curve.”

A stay-at-home order went into effect in Stoddard County on Thursday and the state of Missouri issued one that went into effect Monday.

Part of the orders were for unessential businesses to close. For a description of essential businesses, visit cisa.gov.

The county’s order reinforces recommendations by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and outlines punishment for a violation of quarantine orders and nonessential businesses that stay open.

• Recorder Kay Asbell asked Godwin how many people have been tested for the virus in the county.

“Hospitals do not send results,” Godwin said. “(St. Francis) and Missouri Delta in Sikeston and Cape (hospitals) don’t. The local ones do, and we will get a lot from Poplar Bluff, but we don’t know how many tests (are given).”

He said that hospitals are only required to report positive test results to the health department.

• The meeting marked the second straight to be held on a conference call, which was organized by Polsgrove.

The meetings will continue to be held via conference calls until further notice. They will begin at 10 a.m. each Monday, rather than the customary 9 a.m. start time.

Those who have questions or need to conduct business with the commission may call 573-568-3339 between 10 a.m. and noon.

The meeting was moved back because a conference call is held at 9 a.m. on Mondays and Fridays among the commission, the EMA, law enforcement and county and city officials to discuss COVID-19.

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