Comptroller Mumpower meets with elected officials from West Tennessee about American Rescue Plan
Jason E. Mumpower, Comptroller of the Treasury, was in Jackson last week to lead a discussion on American Rescue Plan funding with West Tennessee mayors, finance directors, and other elected officials. Organized by a West Tennessee legislative delegation and held at Jackson State Community College, the goal was to help cities and counties begin to strategically plan for how Coronavirus relief funding could be spent. Every county in West Tennessee was represented at the gathering.
Mumpower said dollars must be spent according to very specific guidelines outlined by the federal government. If spent for an ineligible use, Mumpower cautioned, local governments would be required to return those dollars to the federal government. The Comptroller offered the help of his staff, many of whom were present, to answer questions and provide clarification as needed during the process of exploring uses for the dollars. The state also has created a website with guidelines and additional information--because the rules are going to change. Visit tncot.cc/covid to stay up to date.
Mumpower emphasized that these are not reoccurring dollars and should be used on self-sustaining projects/programs that are not reliant on future monies. His favorite use of the monies is for underground infrastructure -- water, sewer and broadband. Every community in the state could use help updating aging utility infrastructure. Mumpower said, frequently, to not let the money "burn a hole in your pocket," and that there is plenty of time to strategically “use this money to do the greatest amount of good for the greatest amount of citizens in your community. That’s what you do every day with your local tax revenue, and that’s what you want to do with this money.” He recommended using the money to stabilize your community.
The American Rescue Plan event at Jackson State was organized by Senators Ed Jackson, John Stevens, Paul Rose and Page Walley; as well as by Representatives David Byrd, Tandy Darby, Ron Gant, Bruce Griffey, Rusty Grills, Curtis Halford, Kurt Haston, Chris Hurt, Debra Moody, Johnny Shaw, and Chris Todd. The meeting video is on SWTDD's YouTube page. To watch it, click here.
Farm/Agribusiness help is available through SWTDD's Tennessee Ag Loan Program
SWTDD's Ag Loan Program is a nondiscrimination program.
Proposed activities must:
(1) Be market driven and have a viable marketing plan; (2) Meet all state and local food safety and regulatory requirements; and (3) Produce long term sustainable benefits for agriculture diversification and continuing income generation.
Applicants must:
(1) Be a Tennessee resident and operate a farm/agri-business located in the state; (2) Be 18 as of Jan. 1 of the current year; and (3) Have demonstrated ability and financial capacity to conduct activity.
Loan parameters:
o $25,000 maximum loan amount
o $75,000 maximum for young farmers (35 years or younger, farming less than 7 years)
o Seven (7) years maximum term
o Four percent (4.0%) minimum interest rate
Eligible use of funds: Buildings, including greenhouses (new construction and improvements), Agriculture production ponds; Harvesting equipment; Processing equipment; Trailers; Beehives; Coolers; Irrigation; Permanent fencing; Livestock handling equipment; and Grain storage.
Ineligible use of funds: Tractors; Administrative overhead costs; Paying off existing debt; Purchase of property; Travel and other expenses related to day-to-day operations; Salaries, wages, and fringe benefits; Purchase of livestock; General motorized equipment (mowers, trucks, etc.); Inputs (fertilizer, gas, operation supplies, pesticides, seed stock); Clearing of land and general landscaping; General maintenance; and Normal farm agribusiness operating expenses.
Also, be watching for some exciting news regarding SWTDD's Agricultural Loan Program in the coming weeks!!!
For info or to apply for an Ag Loan, contact Teresa Sanders,731-668-6428 or tsanders@swtdd.org.
Prevention is key in preventing a cyber-related shutdown of your business
As the nightly news keeps reminding us... Cyber attacks are a growing threat for businesses and the U.S. economy. According to the FBI’s Internet Crime Report, the cost of cybercrimes reached $2.7 billion in 2020 alone. Small businesses are attractive targets because they have information that cybercriminals want--and they typically lack the security infrastructure of larger businesses.
According to a recent SBA survey, 88% of small business owners felt their business was vulnerable to a cyber attack. Yet many businesses can’t afford professional IT solutions, they have limited time to devote to cybersecurity, or they don’t know where to begin.
Click HERE for more information about common threats, risk assessment, and best practices for prevention.
Advancing Water Reuse in
Small and Disadvantaged Communities
Are you a small community interested in Water Recycling?
Not sure how to get started? This free webcast is for you!
Two Identical Sessions Will Be Held:
June 10, 2021 from 1-2:30 PM (Eastern Time)
June 29, 2021 from 1-2:30 (Eastern Time)
Why Attend? Many water recycling success stories are in larger cities. These outreach and listening webcasts will introduce water recycling opportunities that make sense for smaller communities. Equally important, we want to learn from you about your communities’ interests in water recycling and your needs for support to enable you to pursue recycling projects. We will follow up these webcasts with online training tailored for small and disadvantaged communities and set up pilot projects to assist individual communities with recycling project development. Whether you are reusing water now or just thinking about it, this webcast is designed for you!
Who Is Doing This? U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Department of Agriculture-Rural Development, National Rural Water Association, and American Water Works Association are collaborating to help small and disadvantaged communities pursue water recycling. Through the Water Reuse Action Plan, several federal, state, and local agencies and organizations are taking actions like this one to build the nation’s capacity to benefit from wastewater recycling and stormwater capture and use (https://www.epa.gov/waterreuse/water-reuse-action-plan ).
Please Register In Advance! There Is No Registration Fee.
To register for the June 10th webcast, please visit this page: https://www.zoomgov.com/meeting/register/vJIsc-quqDMvHNFJuSJTURwGXFRyDTrygEg
To register for the June 29th webcast, please visit this page: https://www.zoomgov.com/meeting/register/vJItd--vrDwqGVc85yEm5t0uV--aQ07Z_68
Once registered, you will receive directions on how to log onto the session of your choice. For more information, contact Adam Jorge, U.S. EPA (Jorge.Adam@epa.gov, 415-972-3563).
Take DRA's speed test and help gather data
The Delta Regional Authority is excited to announce the launch of the Delta Broadband Mapping Project. DRA is embarking on a year-long effort to gauge broadband accessibility throughout the Delta Region.
The Delta Speed Test can be taken from any device that has an internet or cellular connection to your home Wi-Fi signal by visiting dra.gov/speedtest.
In order for this effort to be effective, we need you to test your broadband speed AND help spread the word!
SSI Recipients and Economic Impact Payments: Benefit could cause SSI Penalty
Supplemental Security Income (SSI) recipients who do not typically file a tax return should have received their third economic impact payment (EIP) automatically in April 2021.
The Social Security Administration (SSA) will not count any of the EIPs as income for SSI recipients, and the payments are excluded from resources for 12 months after receipt. Many SSI recipients received their first EIP under the CARES Act in May 2020. They are now approaching the end of the 12-month exclusion period for the first EIPs starting on June 1, 2021, when any remaining CARES Act EIP funds they still have which puts them over the $2,000 resource limit ($3,000 for an eligible couple) will be counted as a resource, and they will lose their eligibility for SSI for that month. SSI recipients and their payees must take care to be sure they have spent down their CARES Act EIP funds before 12 months have passed since they received the payment. Since EIP funds are not the same as SSI benefits, individuals are not limited in what they can spend these funds on and can spend down on whatever they wish, including on gifts and charitable contributions.
Those who receive their SSI benefits electronically by direct deposit or Direct Express Card should have received their EIP in the same way around April 7. Those who receive their monthly SSI benefits by check in the mail were mailed paper check EIPs beginning April 9.
On April 17, 2020, SSA issued EM-20014 SEN, Effect of Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Recovery Rebates* on SSI Income and Resources. These instructions for SSA employees state:
Income
Accept the individual’s allegation regarding any recovery rebates. Document the allegation in the SSI Claim system (i.e. DROC or Person Statement).
Resources
Develop and exclude the rebate from resources only when an individual alleges receiving and retaining an amount that may affect eligibility.
When development is needed, document the rebate according to the following:
Accept the individual’s allegation regarding any retained recovery rebate amounts. Document the allegation in the SSI Claim system (i.e. DROC or Person Statement).
For rebates retained in financial institution accounts, document the SSI Claim system (i.e. DROC or Person Statement) with the individual’s statement as to the date and amount of rebate-related deposits. Take action to exclude retained rebate amounts from the account balance for up to 12 months. When rebates are commingled with other countable funds in an account, always assume that non-excluded funds are withdrawn first, leaving as much of the excluded funds in the account as possible per SI 01130.700.
When readily available, bank records reflecting transaction details may also be used to document receipt and retention of recovery rebates
Access to Financial Institutions (AFI) Considerations
AFI responses may include recovery rebates in first of the month balances. When processing initial claims or post entitlement events involving AFI verifications, pay special attention to months in which reported balances contribute to a determination of excess resources. Just as you would screen these months for early-deposited payments, tax returns, or any other excludable funds, you must now also consider retained recovery rebates as a potential exclusion subject to the instructions section above.
The same instructions are applicable to the subsequent EIPs as well. Advocates may find that SSA employees in local offices are not following these instructions. Please contact us for technical assistance if you have encountered an SSI recipient who has erroneously received a Notice of Overpayment or a Notice of Planned Action suspending their benefits because SSA has incorrectly counted an EIP as a resource, at ConsultNCLER@acl.hhs.gov.
* “Recovery rebate” is the statutory term used in the CARES Act for the economic impact payments.
SBA offers assistance through the Restaurant Revitalization Fund
The Restaurant Revitalization Fund (RRF) program provides emergency assistance for eligible restaurants, bars, and other qualifying businesses impacted by COVID-19. The American Rescue Plan Act established the RRF to provide funding to help eligible businesses keep their doors open.
This program will provide restaurants with funding equal to their pandemic-related revenue loss up to $10 million per business and no more than $5 million per physical location. Recipients are not required to repay the funding as long as funds are used for eligible uses no later than March 11, 2023. For more details and eligible businesses, click here.
FREE MEALS FOR CHILDREN 18 AND YOUNGER
Southwest HRA is providing meals to children in all Southwest Tennessee counties beginning 6/1/2021. The agency will distribute a lunch and a breakfast that will be for the following day.
Southwest HRA will be at these locations and times each day, Monday-Friday.
Chester County High School 11:30 - 1:00
Decatur County Middle School 10:30 - 11:30
Bolivar Central High 9:30 - 10:30
Middleton Elementary 11:00 - 12:00
Whiteville Elementary 1:00 - 2:00
Hardin County - 1 Stadium Drive in Savannah 10:45 - 11:30
Haywood County - Hatchie Street 12:00 - 1:00
Haywood County - Hurley Memorial Stadium 10:45 - 11:45
Scotts Hill High School 12:15 - 1:15
Lexington High School 11:15 - 12:15
Lincoln Elementary (Jackson) 9:45 - 10:30
North Side High School (Jackson) 1:00 - 1:45
South Side High School (Jackson) 10:00 - 10:45
Washington Douglas (Jackson) 11:45 - 12:30
Selmer City Park 11:15 - 11:45
Adamsville Jr/Sr High 10:00 - 10:45
Meals are Free of Charge to all Children 18 and under. SWHRA asks that parents remain in their cars and allow them to bring meal packets to the car.
Southwest HRA is also asking for assistance from volunteers who may want to provide
their time to hand out these meals or direct traffic. Please contact Patti Pickler or
Norma McPeake at 1-800-497-1286 for more information.
Elderly Simplified Application Project Guidance
ESAP makes the SNAP process easier for seniors. Normally, SNAP receipts have to recertify (requalify) every year.
Seniors won’t have to do that. Instead, they will recertify every two years or 24 months.
The Elderly Simplified Application Project (ESAP) is a demonstration project that seeks to increase participation among the elderly low-income population by streamlining the application and certification process. ESAPs are limited to elderly households with no earned income, although some projects also include disabled households with no earned income. The waiver is granted for a period of five years.