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Council discusses supporting small businesses, ARPA funds; TLC Learning Center outlines early-learning public‑private project
Summary
Council debated a proposed study session on ways to boost sales-tax revenue by supporting small businesses and discussed ARPA fund uses; public comment highlighted a private TLC Learning Center early-learning collaborative project seeking a public‑private partnership.
Councilors on March 4 discussed whether to hold a study session to identify ways to support small businesses in Longmont with the twin goals of promoting business activity and increasing sales-tax revenue.
Councilor Chris proposed directing staff to convene 2–3 local organizations to develop a plan that would help small businesses and potentially raise sales tax revenue; councilors questioned whether the goal was to increase sales-volume for local businesses (and thus sales-tax receipts) or to consider tax-rate increases. Council requested greater specificity and suggested meeting with the Chamber of Commerce to refine goals. Councilor Chris ultimately withdrew the motion and said she would return with a more focused proposal.
Council members also discussed American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) money previously earmarked for business recovery, and staff said the city has used some ARPA dollars for Main Street “parklet” projects and said duplication-of-benefits rules affected prior CARES-era grants. The city manager and CFO were asked to clarify remaining ARPA availability and constraints for business-assistance programming.
In public comment, Matt Eldred, CEO of TLC Learning Center (a 69-year nonprofit), told the council that TLC has broken ground on an early-learning collaborative at Third and Ken Pratt and intends the project to include affordable child care, mental-health and health services, a community gathering space and a workforce-training component. Eldred said TLC has spent about $417,000 on permitting and security fees and reported cost savings from hauling 13,000 cubic yards of dirt to a nearby housing project; he said a first-reading ordinance on a public-private partnership will be in the council packet ahead of a future council hearing.
Several business owners urged the city to work directly with local businesses and the Chamber to better understand needs and to promote shopping in Longmont, and a number of speakers offered to volunteer on advisory panels.
Council agreed to take more time to refine any study-session request and to involve staff and stakeholders before bringing a specific proposal back to a future meeting.
