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Chelsea council asks manager to explore expanded small‑business aid after downtown construction testimony
Summary
After testimony from downtown merchants reporting steep revenue losses and sanitation problems linked to ongoing utility construction, the Chelsea City Council voted unanimously to ask the city manager to explore expanding small‑business assistance programs and potential funding options.
At its meeting, the Chelsea City Council voted 8–0 to ask the city manager to explore expanding the city’s small‑business assistance programs to address financial harms from ongoing downtown utility construction.
The action followed public comments from Broadway business owners who said construction has already diminished customers and revenue. "We've seen revenue drop by over 20%" and "I personally lost nearly a $100,000 in sales compared to last year's numbers," said Armando Montes, owner of Montes Jewelry. Another business owner, Tafay Taik of 306 Broadway, asked the council for "compensation of these losses" and other assistance to keep businesses viable.
Councilor Tesher, who introduced the order, emphasized the urgency: the construction "is set to last until 2027," he told the council, and said some businesses report losses of as much as 40% of revenue. Tesher asked the manager to "look into expanding the programs that are already being offered to small businesses in Chelsea and in addition, make sure that we act proactively in finding ways that we can best assess the damages and possibly come up with new programs that will allow our businesses to survive this construction."
Councilors discussed possible funding sources and program types. Councilor Taylor referenced prior ARPA deliberations and suggested exploring low‑interest or no‑interest loan programs and remaining ARPA funds as potential resources. Councilor Recupero and others stressed the importance of supporting local employers who contribute taxes and jobs.
The order directs the city manager to study options and report back to the council; any appropriation would require a subsequent council vote. The clerk announced the vote as "8 in favor, 0 opposed, 3 absent." The record does not specify exact funding amounts or timelines; the manager will return with details.
The council voted to adopt the order on the floor; the item does not itself appropriate funds but asks the manager to explore program expansion and funding pathways.
