The Transylvania Business Support Task Force announces a virtual town hall meeting scheduled for Wednesday, April 1, from 4pm to 6pm. The event will feature a panel with experts on key areas of business support related to the coronavirus pandemic. Panelist to include Topics/Speakers Include:
1) COVID business community health update – Elaine Russell, Transylvania County Public Health
2) SBA economic injury loans overview – Sharon Harvey, U.S. Small Business Administration
3) Preparing your finances for disaster loans – Michelle Tracz, Michelle Tracz CPA
4) Employee layoffs & unemployment – Jason Chappell, NC Works
5) Legislative updates & legal – Stephen Williamson, Van Winkle Law Firm
To register for the town hall please.
Link: https://www.ncsbc.net/workshop.aspx?ekey=50400058
Participants who would like a specific question to be addressed by a panlist during the town hall event are encouraged to submit the question to the panelists prior to the meeting using the link here. A question and answer period will also be scheduled during the town hall to field live questions during the event.
About the task force. One of the first steps of the task force was to compile information to create a shared business resource guide to get the best information on dealing with this crisis to the business community. Key areas were loan and disaster financing, unemployment information, operational guidance, governmental updates, upcoming webinars, and more. This information was sent to each organization’s audience and continues to be updated at brevardncchamber.org, brevardnc.org, and transylvaniaalliance.com. The next step was to create and administer a survey to learn more about next steps.
TEA Director Josh Hallingse shares, “One of the items learned from the survey results was that business owners need more than just information about what options are out there. They need ‘how to’ instructions and answers to questions that are specific to their businesses.”
The upcoming virtual town hall meeting was created to get those instructions and answers to the business community. It will include updates as well as a Q&A opportunity so that attendees will be able to ask the experts directly. The virtual meeting will be coordinated through Blue Ridge Community College Small Business Center. Registration is required and can be found www.blueridge.edu/sbc by clicking on the “View free upcoming conferences and seminars” button.
“The virtual town hall is an important tool to connect business owners and employers with the best information and resources available and allow them to ask questions in real time,“ explains HOB Director Nicole Bentley. “Our panelists will walk business owners and employers through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act stimulus bill, which will provide small business grants, forgivable loans, and tax relief.”
The task force plans to continue working on different ways to provide assistance. “These are just first steps for our task force,” states Chamber and TCT Director Clark Lovelace. “We are all committed to doing everything we can to support our business community as we get through this unprecedented crisis.”
The task force thanks the many organizations and individuals who support their efforts, particularly the City of Brevard, Transylvania County, and SCORE.
