A grant from the U.S. Small Business Administration will help the city of Poplar Bluff recoup some losses due to the pandemic and canceled events in 2020.
The city has been awarded almost $147,400 from the Shuttered Venue Operators Grant program, city manager Matt Winters said Monday during the regular city council meeting.
“This program compared the revenues of the Black River Coliseum for 2020 to 2019 and reimburses the city the revenue that was lost, that the Small Business Administration associated with the COVID (pandemic),” Winters explained.
This was one of two budget amendments approved by the city council that provided additional revenue.
The city also amended its 2021 budget to reflect $200,000 in earnings from the sale of the Main Street property on which Poplar Bluff Municipal Library is located. The council voted in April to deed the property to the library district in exchange for the payment.
Officials from both the city and library district said at the time that library operations would not change, but that the library district would now be able to use the property as surety for loans on future projects.
These unbudgeted revenues will help allow the city to make an unbudgeted purchase for the street department, Winters said.
The council approved the purchase of a new road grader for $179,000.
“The street department has a road grader that is broken down beyond repair,” he said.
Bids for the grader came back cheaper than the $225,000 that was expected, Winters said. Approval of the purchase will mean the street department does not have to finance the purchase.
In other business, the council:
• Approved a conditional use permit to sell liquor by the drink at 309 S. Broadway.
• Approved a grant application for a Community Block Development Grant to purchase a horizontal baler for the Ozark Foothills Recycling Center.
• Approved a grant application for a Missouri Department of Natural Resources Grant to purchase a truck motor for the street department.