CBA Newsletter Chelmsford Business Association • Fall 2020 Chelmsford, MA 01824 • 987-250-3858 • President’S Message
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CBA Newsletter Chelmsford Business Association • Fall 2020 Chelmsford, MA 01824 • 987-250-3858 • www.chelmsfordbusiness.org President’s Message Dear CBA Members: The Economic Injury Disaster Loan increased from program (EIDL) is a new loan program eight weeks to 24 I hope this letter finds you and your that is supposed to provide immediate weeks. Borrower's family safe and healthy as we continue funding for applicants. I have to say I also have up to adjust to a Covid-19 world. haven't seen any of these applications to ten months pass across my desk but the program from the covered As I began writing this letter I realized does have its merits. If you are period to apply that if it wasn't for Covid-19, I would currently looking for inexpensive, long- for forgiveness. If be in the middle of a 10-day Hawaiian term capital, you should explore this you've received PPP money, you should vacation with my wife celebrating our program. be in the process of evaluating and 31st anniversary. By the way, this trip applying for forgiveness. Funds that are was planned last January when Covid The Paycheck Protection Program not forgiven have very favorable loan was just another strain of the flu. Go (PPP) is what most small businesses terms, including: a 5-year repayment figure, so much for best laid plans… have taken advantage of since the term and a fixed interest rate of 1.00%. We cancelled our trip a few weeks program went live in April (the program ago. We received a full refund on the closed on 8/8/2020). The program had The aforementioned programs have hotel deposits (seven-day cancellation a rough start and has been modified helped many businesses survive. The policy) and Hawaiian Airlines gave us several times since its inception. This economy is recovering, perhaps faster an unsolicited, two-year, travel voucher is a Small Business Administration than most had expected, but we are with no cancellation fees. For the (SBA) loan program that was originally a long way from solid footing. One record, when we purchased the tickets designed to provide quick access "air ball" is the election; the other is a "pre-Covid" cancellations included fees to capital without all of the normal vaccine. Let's keep our fingers crossed and credits had to be used within a one- SBA "red tape". The administration and hope that whatever happens in year window from the original purchase was successful in this effort but the November the economy continues date. Had Hawaiian not stepped up we numerous changes and delays initially to recover and a vaccine becomes would have been out on the airfare since made the process stressful and available soon. the one-year window would still be in confusing. The terms of the original Covid. loan program allowed for a business Speaking of a vaccine, unfortunately, to apply for a loan with 75% of those the Golf and Holiday socials have While losing the airfare would have proceeds used for payroll over an been cancelled for this year. These are been unfortunate, it would not have eight-week period. The remaining 25% two events that just don't fit into the been tragic. However, look at the travel could be used for fixed expenses like: mandated social distancing restrictions. and leisure industries as a whole--what utilities, rent, mortgage interest, etc. If We look forward to bringing them back is happening to them is becoming the loan proceeds were used under this next year. catastrophic! I just hope Hawaiian and formula, then 100% of the loan would the hotels we wanted to stay in are be forgiven. The program was meant to Lastly, the tax classification vote is upon around when we re-book our trip next keep people from the unemployment us. We plan to ask the Select Board for year. lines; however, it did little for keeping relief and continued movement toward businesses afloat. parity. Please show your support by The good news for most big attending, albeit virtually, the upcoming corporations is they have access to In June the PPP was revised once Select Board meetings. capital. The Gov't is also likely to create again with one goal of providing more bailout programs for certain industries. assistance to the Borrower. The most As always, if you have any questions or For small businesses the opportunity significant change was in the usage concerns with the CBA, please do not for investment is more challenging. formula that went from the 75/25 split hesitate to contact me or any one of the Currently, the Gov't is providing to a 60/40 split, essentially giving more Board Directors. programs for small businesses and it money back to the business for fixed sounds like more assistance is on the expenses that didn't go away while they Sincerely, way. There are two programs I hope all were operating below capacity, or if at Thomas N. Boucher of you have taken advantage of, or at all. Equally important is the time frame President least, looked into: EIDL and PPP. to use the funds within this formula 2 Chelmsford Business Association Newsletter • Fall 2020 Organizations: the Chelmsford keeping the CCA alive until we can Art Society, the organization that fully re-open again. Without the sponsors the beloved annual 4th exhibition and rehearsal space, more of July Art Show; the Chelmsford than 150 community artists and Community Concert Band and performers who bring art and music the Chelmsford Jazz Band, whose to our town have no home. So… volunteer musicians give free concerts every summer on the …What do we ask of our Chelmsford Common; Illumination Opera, community? We just celebrated which presents fully staged operas our 10th Anniversary in November and cabaret performances at the and we ask every Chelmsford CCA; and Toastmasters, the public household to contribute $10 to speaking organization open to all. help Chelmsford’s public arts center In addition, we present exhibitions (the ONLY public arts center in in our own gallery of the work of the Commonwealth) survive the local artists throughout the year. The pandemic. You may, of course, CCA has also served almost 2000 donate any amount, but $10 a children through our partnership household will assure the CCA will with Applause Academy, a non-profit continue and be able to open as soon children’s music theatre organization. as possible. The CCA is Chelmsford’s own public Due to the pandemic, we have We are working on presenting visual and performing arts center. lost our income from ticket sales, outdoor performances, live streamed Besides the patrons from all over rehearsal rentals, class rentals, gallery and recorded performances from our the Merrimack Valley who attend gift shop sales for the holidays, and auditorium, and outdoor exhibitions. performances, we are primarily private rentals; but there are ongoing Show your support of the arts in our the home to our Resident Arts costs to running the building and town by donating today. THINK LOCAL! This year has certainly been a trying time. The holidays are quickly approaching. Help support How do you take your coffee?? local businesses by I take mine with a pumpkin muffin Maybe a raspberry fruit bar for purchasing gift certificates you? Or cookies? Whatever you try it’s going to be delicious and to local restaurant, retail #locallymade by @razzysbakingandcatering So excited for another stores, services. Think local fantastic partnership with a #localbusiness Stop in today to grab yours! when shopping this holiday Remember, when you shop here you are supporting over 80 (yes 80!!) season. It's a WIN - WIN for the Chelmsford Business Community. Chelmsford Business Association Newsletter • Fall 2020 3 Questions? Call Kathy Kelley at 617-996-1660 SHRED See You Again in 2021! NEW LOCATION: Lincoln Liquors (formerly Harrington Wine and Liquors) DAY 10 Summer Street, Chelmsford, MA CBA Shred Date was held this year, with socially distant procedures put into place. We had a great turn out. This year we opened the event to the entire Chelmsford Business Community. We had 23 vehicles in attendance and yielded 4,073 lbs. of material shred. Three potential new members. The members made many comments on how much they like shred day. Chelmsford Business Association Scholarship Fund Established in 1990, The Chelmsford Business Association is a group of nearly 300 member businesses that operate in the Town of Chelmsford. The purpose of the Association’s fund is to award scholarships to Chelmsford residents who upon graduation from the Chelmsford Public High School, the Nashoba Valley Technical High School or any other accredited private high school, including an accredited “charter high school” with the intend to pursue a degree at an accredited two or four year college or junior college. 4 Chelmsford Business Association Newsletter • Fall 2020 CBA Scholarship Award Left to right: Rick Romano, Paul Baker, John Harrington and Tom Boucher We are proud to announce Paul graduated in June from Paul made the committee's the 2020 Chelmsford Business Nashoba Tech and is already a decision an easy one and since Scholarship recipient is Mr. Paul Junior at Umass Lowell majoring the selection for the scholarship Baker. Paul is the son of Linda in Mechanical Engineering with is always a blind process to keep and Derick Baker of Chelmsford. a minor in Aerospace studies. the scoring impartial, it is when While Paul only just graduated Paul has a passion for music in we meet recipients like Paul that from Nashoba Valley Technical general and a love of guitar and we see the level of maturity and High School he has taken full drums.