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Everett council approves $25,000 allocation to Downtown Everett Association for storefront grants
Summary
The Everett City Council voted to allocate $25,000 of previously unspent COVID-relief funds to the Downtown Everett Association to support storefront enhancement grants; staff cautioned the funding mechanism must be a grant to the association rather than a direct third round of storefront grants under COVID-recovery rules.
Everett City Council on Dec. 3 approved a motion to allocate $25,000 from previously allocated but unspent COVID-relief funds to the Downtown Everett Association to support storefront enhancement work downtown.
Council member Ryan moved the allocation, citing the economic benefit of storefront grants and the continuing demand from small businesses. "With that, I'd like to make a motion to allocate to, 25,000 to the Downtown Everett Association from the city's previously allocated but unspent ARPA or, excuse me, COVID relief money for a third round of storefront enhancement grants," Ryan said during the meeting. The motion was seconded and, after brief discussion, passed by roll call (Yes: Ryan, Voegely, Fossey, Tuohy, Schwab; No: Bader, Zarlingo).
Liz Denning, director of the Downtown Everett Association, told the council the storefront program — a competitive 50/50 matching grant offering up to $5,000 per project — has been in place since 2023. She said, as transcribed, "more than a 130,000 has been awarded to 38 businesses across downtown," and that the program "has been stimulating hundreds of thousands of dollars in private investment and economic growth." Denning asked the council to continue funding the program.
City staff advised council about the legal constraints of using COVID-relief funds. A staff member clarified that, under the COVID recovery fund requirements related to the general government fund, the city could provide a grant to the Downtown Everett Association but could not structure these as a direct "third round of storefront grants" using that funding source. Council members asked for one week to review the proposal and the availability of unspent allocations before taking the final vote; staff indicated there were limited unspent dollars but that cobbling together $25,000 was feasible.
The council approved the motion by roll call. City staff said implementing this allocation would require a subsequent budget amendment and follow-up administrative steps.
The council will finalize budget paperwork and return to any required ordinance or amendment language in a future meeting.
