Barberton is using CARES Act money to offer up to $750 per business in reimbursement for COVID-19 cleaning, sterilizing or disinfecting done by a professional cleaning company, said Mayor William B. Judge.
The grants are geared for dine-in restaurants, bars and coffee shops, and are retroactive to June 1, 2020. Businesses can apply for one grant per six-month period, he said. Interested businesses can contact the city for an application.
Judge said the goal is to keep businesses open and patrons safe as the number of infections from COVID-19 continues to climb again in Ohio and across the country.
With Lake Anna in the center of town, Barberton is known as the "Magic City."
Featuring the Magic Mile — a mile-long connection from downtown to the Towpath Trail — the city’s Tuscarawas Avenue arts district is normally hopping, with theaters, art galleries, restaurants and shops. The Downtown Barberton Merchants Association and other groups work to keep the Second Street business district strong as well.
“We have a very quaint downtown, very walkable, with unique different shops,” Judge said. “We're doing pretty good, faring pretty well, with our business climate. But we want to do what we can as a city.”
Grants are offered on a first-come, first-served basis, and a limited number is available, the city said.
The city also designed a new Jobs Gateway program to enable residents to easily search for open positions with local employers, Judge said.
“Every business, every industry is looking for employees. Everyone's short staffed,” he said. “It’s kind of a one-stop shop.”
Located on the city’s home page, the Jobs Gateway lists all available jobs broken down by industry and employer. Links for each employer take job seekers to the job posting, or to the human resources page for more information.