The city of Stewartville's Economic Development Authority is reaching out to help local businesses affected by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The EDA, at its regular monthly meeting last week, voted 5-0 to offer grants of up to $5,000 each to local business owners whose livelihoods were affected by the pandemic. Jim Kuisle, EDA president, and members Mark Rusciano, Nic Hale, Mayor Jimmie-John King and City Councilperson Craig Anderson all approved the program. Members Kari York and Adam Wright were absent. The $100,000 available for EDA grants comes from the $469,897 the city of Stewartville received from the federal Coronavirus Relief Fund (CRF). The money, distributed to cities through the state of Minnesota, will be used to mitigate the risk of spreading COVID-19 and provide economic support to those suffering from unemployment, business interruptions or closures. Joya Stetson, vice president of marketing and business development for Community and Economic Development Associates (CEDA) of Chatfield, who works with the EDA to support current businesses and attract more companies to Stewartville, distributed a handout to explain the EDA's grant program... For more on this story pick up your copy of the Aug. 25 Stewartville STAR.
