ANNOUNCER: BACKSTORY IS MADE POSSIBLE IN PART BY KEYBANK.

WITH ADDITIONAL SUPPORT FROM THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS, AND BY VIEWERS LIKE YOU, THANK YOU.

TITLE SEQUENCE JASON HIBBS: REGARDLESS OF YOUR FEELINGS ON THE POLITICS, THE MONEY IS OUT THERE TO THE TUNE OF $2 TRILLION.

YOU MAY REMEMBER THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN SIGNED INTO LAW BY PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN, IT PASSED WITH ONLY DEMOCRATIC VOTES INCLUDED AN EXTENSION OF THE CHILD TAX CREDIT, THOSE STIMULUS CHECKS, WHICH YOU'VE PROBABLY ALREADY RECEIVED, AND HUNDREDS OF BILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN DIRECT AID TO STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS.

AND FOR SOME, IT'S THAT LAST PART WITH A BIG QUESTION MARK AFTER IT.

FROM PEOPLE WHO OWN DINERS TO DJS, DRAG QUEENS, WHOEVER YOU ARE, IF YOU LOST MONEY, DURING THIS PAST YEAR, YOU MAY BE ABLE TO GET SOME HELP RECOVER SOME OF THOSE LOSSES.

SO WE'RE GOING TO TALK TODAY ON BACKSTORY ABOUT THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN, HOW YOU CAN GET THE HELP THAT YOU NEED.

AND WE HAVE THREE GUESTS HERE ON BACKSTORY TO HELP US SORT IT ALL OUT.

MICHAEL BEASLEY HAS SERVED IN A VARIETY OF ROLES IN THE CITY OF TOLEDO.

HE WAS ALSO THE LUCAS COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR.

HE'S AN ACTIVE MEMBER OF A NUMBER OF COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS, FOCUSING ON HOUSING TO HEALTH CARE AND REVITALIZATION.

AND HE'S CURRENTLY THE ADMINISTRATOR FOR THE CITY OF OREGON.

JILL BADGER IS WITH THE TOLEDO REGIONAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

SHE WORKS WITH BUSINESSES IN OUR AREA ON COVID RESTRICTIONS AND RELIEF.

AND FINALLY, GEORGE MCALLISTER IS THE OWNER OF SELECT STONE AND MONCLOVA.

THAT IS A WHOLESALE AND RETAIL SUPPLY CENTER.

THANKS TO ALL THREE OF YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY.

JILL, I WANT TO START WITH YOU, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE YOUR FINGER ON THE PULSE SO TO SPEAK OF LOCAL BUSINESSES.

IT'S BEEN A TOUGH 15 MONTHS OR SO HOW ARE BUSINESSES FARING RIGHT NOW?

JILL BADGER: IT DIFFERS FOR ALL BUSINESSES, DEPENDING ON HOW PREPARED THEY WERE PRIOR TO THE PANDEMIC.

I MEAN, WE'VE SEEN SOME FARE REALLY, REALLY WELL, BECAUSE THEY HAD A GOOD GRIP AND FINANCIAL UNDERSTANDING.

THEY KNEW WHAT THEY MAINTAIN THEIR OWN PERSONAL PROFIT AND LOSS STATEMENT.

THEY HAD THEIR TAXES DONE ON TIME, THEY WERE CAPABLE OF APPLYING FOR FEDERAL AND LOCAL GRANTS AND ASSISTANCE.

AND THEN YOU'VE GOT THOSE BUSINESSES OUT THERE THAT DIDN'T HAVE THE TECH KNOWLEDGE OR THE FINANCIAL KNOWLEDGE TO MAINTAIN THE APPROPRIATE DOCUMENTS OR HAVE ACCESS TO APPLY FOR THOSE SAME FUNDS.

SO IT REALLY JUST DEPENDS ON WHAT TYPE OF BUSINESS OWNER YOU WERE, WE FOUND.

THERE WERE A LOT OF BUSINESSES THAT WERE VERY UNPREPARED ON THE TECH SIDE, THEY DIDN'T HAVE COMPUTERS, THEY DIDN'T HAVE SMARTPHONES, IT WAS A LOT HARDER FOR THEM TO APPLY, OR IF THEY WERE NOT BANKING WITH SOME OF THE LARGER BANKS THAT INITIALLY APPLY FOR SOME OF THE FIRST PPP AND IDEAL TYPE OF LOANS.

BUT THINGS ARE STARTING TO TURN AROUND, ESPECIALLY NOW AS SOME OF THE MASK MANDATES AND STUFF HAVE COME DOWN.

YOU'RE SEEING PEOPLE COME OUT AND SHOP MORE AND ATTEND RESTAURANTS MORE FEELS LIKE EVERYBODY'S KIND OF ITCHING TO GET OUT THERE.

OUR CENTER THIS CALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CENTER AT THE CHAMBER HAS BEEN TRYING TO HELP BUSINESSES UNDERSTAND SOME OF THEIR MARKETING CAPABILITIES AND GET THE WORD OUT THERE ON WHAT ARE THEY DOING TO MAKE SURE CUSTOMERS ARE SAFE AND THAT THEIR BUSINESS IS OPEN?

AND WHAT ARE THEY DOING DIFFERENTLY HAVE THEIR HOURS CHANGED?

HAVE THEY CONVERTED TO SOME ONLINE SALES, WHAT ADJUSTMENTS HAVE BEEN MADE SINCE THE PANDEMIC TO JUST MAKE SURE THAT THEIR CUSTOMERS KNOW THEY'RE THERE AND HOW TO REACH THEM.

I'VE ALSO DONE A LOT OF OUTREACH.

HELPING CLIENTS UNDERSTAND QUICKBOOKS AND OTHER FINANCIAL TOOLS IN ORDER TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE CAPABLE OF DOING THEIR OWN FINANCIALS AND THEY'RE BETTER PREPARED IF THE OPPORTUNITY ARISES.

TO APPLY FOR GRANTS.

WE HAVE HELPED MANY MANY BUSINESSES THROUGHOUT THE PANDEMIC WITH PPP EIDL THE LUCAS COUNTY GRANT WAS ADMINISTERED BY THE CHAMBER OTHER LOCAL GRANTS THAT WERE OUT THERE WE HELP BUSINESSES APPLY FOR LIKE THROUGH LISTS FOR THE CITY OF TOLEDO.

SO ANYTHING WE CAN DO TO BRING AWARENESS TO WHAT THE SMALL BUSINESS COMMUNITY CAN APPLY FOR AND HELP MAINTAIN THEIR BUSINESS AND KIND OF GET BACK TO BUSINESS AS USUAL.

JASON HIBBS: OKAY, SO IT WAS THERE A TYPE OF BUSINESS THAT WAS YOU KNOW, IMPACTED MORE THAN OTHERS?

JILL BADGER: WELL, YOU KNOW, ANY OF THE RESTAURANTS CHILDCARE AND EVENT SPACES WERE IMPACTED MORE, JUST BECAUSE ISN'T LIKE A LOT OF THE EVENT SPACES WERE NOT ALLOWED TO HOLD ANY EVENTS, THEY COULDN'T HAVE ANY TICKET SALES, BARS AND RESTAURANTS WERE AT REDUCED CAPACITY AND CHILDCARE WITH THAT REDUCED CAPACITY ALONG WITH PEOPLE WORKING FROM HOME AND NOT CHOOSING TO USE CHILDCARE.

JASON HIBBS: AND THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE FOR BUSINESSES RIGHT NOW.

JILL BADGER: SOME OF THEM IS COMING OUT LIKE CHILDCARE STILL, SOME OF THEM HAVEN'T RETURNED TO REDUCE OR TO INCREASE CAPACITY, THEY'RE STILL AT THE REDUCED NUMBERS, SOME ARE STILL SEEING THAT THERE'S SO MANY OF THEIR PARENTS THAT ARE WORKING FROM HOME, THEY HAVEN'T RETURNED TO THE WORKFORCE.

SO THEY'RE NOT PUTTING THEIR CHILDREN IN CHILDCARE, YOU'VE GOT RESTAURANTS THAT ARE IN DOWNTOWN AREAS, LIKE OUR DOWNTOWN TOLEDO, THAT NOT EVERYONE HAS RETURNED TO THEIR BIG CORPORATE OFFICES.

SO YOU'VE GOT LESS PEOPLE OUT TO LUNCH OR OUT TO BREAKFAST, THOSE ARE STILL BEING IMPACTED PRETTY SIGNIFICANTLY.

AND THEN PEOPLE HAVE JUST OVER THE LAST 15 MONTHS FIGURED OUT HOW TO DO A WHOLE LOT OF ONLINE SHOPPING.

SO OUR RETAIL SPACES ARE SEEING A MUCH LOWER NUMBER OF PEOPLE COMING AND GOING THAN WHAT THEY USED TO.

SO IF YOU HAVEN'T CONVERTED TO ONLINE SALES, AT LEAST FOR A PORTION OF YOUR BUSINESS, YOU'RE BEING IMPACTED.

JASON HIBBS: OKAY.

GEORGE, I WAS SURPRISED JILL DIDN'T MENTION EMPLOYEE SHORTAGES.

ARE YOU HAVING TROUBLE FINDING EMPLOYEES?

GEORGE MCALLISTER: ABSOLUTELY.

WE HAD A PRETTY GOOD STAFF.

WHEN COVID HIT WORSE, THE FEAR WAS OUT THERE.

A LOT OF GUYS WANTED TO STAY HOME BECAUSE OF THE FEAR OF NOT KNOWING WHAT THIS WAS WHAT WAS COMING AT US.

I HAD JUST PURCHASED THE BUSINESS AFTER WORKING HERE 32 YEARS, JANUARY 1, AND THEN FEBRUARY, SAID, OH, SOMETHING'S COME DOWN THE PIPELINE.

TERRIBLE TIMING ON YOUR PART.

YEAH.

AND I'M SITTING HERE, PULLING MY HAIR OUT AND TRYING TO FIGURE OUT, STRATEGIZE HOW TO KEEP THE BUSINESS OPEN, KEEP THE EMPLOYEES PAID WITHOUT KNOWING THAT THE PPP WAS COMING.

HOW IF I WAS GOING TO QUALIFY FOR IT?

HOW TO KEEP THE DOORS OPEN, AND ALSO KEEP EMPLOYEES ON THE PAYROLL WITHOUT KNOWING THAT WHAT WAS GOING TO SAVE THEIR FAMILIES.

AND I PAID I THINK FIVE, SIX EMPLOYEES ACTUALLY THAT STOOD HOME JASON HIBBS: WHEN YOU WERE RUNNING AT FULL CAPACITY, HOW MANY EMPLOYEES DID YOU HAVE?

GEORGE MCALLISTER: UM, AT FULL CAPACITY, WE WERE 28 TO 30, WHAT PERCENTAGE OF THEM HAVE NOT RETURNED?

EVERYBODY HAS RETURNED.

OKAY.

GEORGE MCALLISTER: EVERYBODY HAS RETURNED THAT WE HAVE HAD A COUPLE FOLKS THAT CHOSE A DIFFERENT LINE OF WORK.

SO THEY WENT OTHER PLACES, OR WE HAVE TRIED TO GET IN PLACE HERE BECAUSE WE ARE BUSY.

AFTER KIND OF THE THE RESTRICTIONS WILL KIND OF WENT AWAY, WE'VE GOTTEN BUSIER.

AND LIKE I SAID, WE WERE AT A SKELETON CREW DURING THE PANDEMIC.

BUT WE WERE SO BUSY HERE WE HAD 15, 16 PEOPLE STANDING IN OUR WINDOWS BECAUSE WE HAD CREDIT CARD SET CREDIT CARD MACHINE SETUPS OUTSIDE THE WINDOWS, BECAUSE WE DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO PROTECT OURSELVES, AND A LOT OF PHONE CALL CREDIT CARD USERS AND STUFF LIKE THAT.

SO WE WERE BUSY AND SHORT HANDED.

SO BAR IS TRYING TO GET EMPLOYEES HERE TODAY, A LOT OF THEM ARE COMING OFF THE GOVERNMENT ASSISTED UNEMPLOYMENT, WHERE THEY ACTUALLY MADE MORE TO STAY AT HOME, ON UNEMPLOYMENT THAN THEY EVER WOULD HAVE IN THE PAST.

SO IN THE LAST SIX MONTHS TRYING TO GET AN EMPLOYEE TO COME IN HERE TO COME OFF, UNEMPLOYMENT WAS ABOUT IMPOSSIBLE.

JILL BADGER: I'D LIKE TO ADD TO THAT, THAT NOW.

EVEN WITH UNEMPLOYMENT, STAFFING IT, WE'RE STILL PROVING THAT IT'S HARD TO GET EMPLOYEES FOR MANY REASONS.

I MEAN, IF YOU PROBABLY CONSIDER IT A BLESSING, WE HAVE A LOT OF LARGER BUSINESSES COMING TO OUR AREA, BUT WITH COMPANIES LIKE PELOTON ANNOUNCING THAT THEY'RE GOING TO BE HERE WITH 4500 NEW JOBS NEEDED.

THAT'S A LOT OF PEOPLE.

AND DO WE REALLY HAVE THAT MANY MORE PEOPLE THAT WOULD ENTER THE WORKFORCE?

ARE WE REALLY JUST DEALING FROM ONE SMALL BUSINESS TO A LARGER BUSINESS, AND GEORGE MCALLISTER: ALSO IN THE AREA TOO, SO THAT MAKES IT DIFFICULT AND THE COMPETITION BETWEEN MY SMALL BUSINESS AND AMAZON IS WE USED TO HAVE AN ONLINE SALES POINT, WHICH WE DON'T EVEN DO NO MORE BECAUSE WE CAN'T COMPETE WITH AMAZON.

JILL BADGER: AND WE KEEP TRYING TO HELP SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS TRY TO FIND A DIFFERENT WAY TO SELL THEIR EMPLOYMENT IN DIFFERENT UNIQUE WAYS AS OPPOSED TO SOMEONE LIKE AMAZON BECAUSE AMAZON MIGHT HAVE A SIGNING BONUS AND MIGHT START THEM OUT AT MORE.

BUT YOU'RE SEEING THAT THEY'RE WEARING PEOPLE OUT BECAUSE THERE'S NO REAL INCREASE SALARY, THEIR TURNOVER IS HIGH THAT THE ENVIRONMENT IS NOT AS GREAT AS A LOT OF OUR SMALL BUSINESSES PROVIDE FURTHER DIFFERENT WAYS WE CAN ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO WORK FOR THE SMALL BUSINESS WHERE THEY'RE GONNA, YOU KNOW, FEEL LIKE FAMILY MIGHT GET MORE BENEFITS, IS THERE JUST A DIFFERENT WAY TO SELL YOUR BUSINESS AS OPPOSED TO THE HOURLY RATE THAT PEOPLE ARE LOOKING AT WHEN THEY GO APPLY IT AMAZON OR SOME OF THE LARGER BUSINESSES?

JASON HIBBS: SO MICHAEL, I KNOW YOU'VE WORKED IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT, LARGE AND SMALL, YOU'RE IN OREGON, NOW A SMALLER COMMUNITY ABOUT 20,000 PEOPLE, IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY, HOW ARE THINGS THERE?

AND HOW DID THE PANDEMIC IMPACT LOCAL GOVERNMENT?

AND HOW ARE YOU GUYS DOING NOW?

MICHAEL BEAZLEY: WELL, AS JILL AND GEORGE BOTH POINTED OUT, THIS, THIS CRISIS WASN'T A ONE SIZE FITS ALL PROBLEM.

FOR SOME BUSINESSES, AND SOME FAMILIES, IT WAS DEVASTATING.

YOU HAD FAMILIES WITH TOUGH HEALTH PROBLEMS WITH TOUGH EMPLOYMENT AND FINANCIAL ISSUES.

YOU HAD SOME SMALL BUSINESSES THAT WENT UNDER SOME RESTAURANTS THAT, AS JOE POINTED OUT, MAYBE SERVED THE DOWNTOWN OFFICE POPULATION THAT THOSE RESTAURANT DAYTIME CUSTOMERS WEREN'T THERE, BAR TIME, BARTENDERS, EVENT SPACE CHILDCARE CENTERS, WORKOUT FACILITIES.

SOME OF THOSE PLACES, YOU KNOW, THINGS AROUND CEDAR POINT, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THOSE THINGS JUST WENT UNDER OTHERS HAD THEIR BEST YEARS EVER.

PEOPLE IN THE HOME IMPROVEMENT SIDE, I WE HELP PEOPLE WERE ON VARIOUS A VARIETY OF CARRYOUT PIZZA PLACES, THEY JUST TRIED TO FIND ENOUGH CHEESE TO GET SOME OF ITS CUSTOMERS DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH IT.

IF YOUR RESTAURANT IF YOU SIT DOWN RESTAURANT HAD A MENU OR YOUR PRODUCT TRAVELED WELL, YOU DID WELL AS CARRY OUT BREAKFAST PLACES NOT SO MUCH.

YOU KNOW, THE EGGS AREN'T AS NICE AFTER A DRIVE HOME.

AND AND SO IT WASN'T A ONE SIZE FITS ALL CRISIS FOR OUR FAMILIES, FOR OUR BUSINESSES OR FOR OUR LOCAL GOVERNMENTS.

INTERESTINGLY, WHETHER WHATEVER THE POLITICS ON THE STIMULUS, THE FIRST STIMULUS THAT CAME OUT IN THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION, THAT WAS PASSED BY PARTISAN PUT A LOT OF DOLLARS OUT THERE AS TO THE SECOND STIMULUS.

THE RESULT, IT WAS AN EFFORT TO TRY AND LEARN FROM THE 2008 GREAT RECESSION, WHERE IT TOOK US SIX YEARS TO GET BACK TO FULL EMPLOYMENT.

AND THE GOAL HERE IS TO KEEP MONEY FLOWING, INSTEAD OF HAVING A TIE UP AND STOP AND HAVE THERE BE NO CREDIT AND NO SPENDING.

SO IF YOU REALLY LOOK AT THE SALES, TAX DRIVEN RECORDS, SO FOR COUNTY REVENUES, THEY ACTUALLY WENT UP DURING A PANDEMIC, PEOPLE STAYED HOME WITH THAT MONEY AND THEY BOUGHT STUFF, WHETHER THEY BOUGHT IT ONLINE, OR ON EDIT DELIVERED BY AMAZON OR DROVE OUT OR DROVE TO GEORGIA BUSINESSES AND WAITED IN LINE AT THAT WINDOW IN LOVE WITH THAT GRAVEL.

MORE THINGS WERE BOUGHT THAN THE YEAR BEFORE.

SO VERY DIFFERENT TYPE OF RECESSION WHERE AGAIN, WASN'T ONE SIZE FITS ALL.

SO SALES, TAX DEPENDENT COMMUNITIES DID BETTER PROPERTY TAX, PEOPLE STILL PAID THEIR PROPERTY TAXES, BECAUSE THEY KEPT THAT REVENUE COMING IN.

AND PROPERTY TAXES CAME IN AT ABOUT 98 CENTS ON THE DOLLAR.

AGAIN, DEPENDING ON THE COMMUNITY AND WHERE YOU WERE.

THERE WERE STILL BEING COLLECTED.

AND OVERTIME.

THE INCOME TAX AND HOTEL MOTEL TAX, THOUGH.

SO IF YOU'RE A COMMUNITY WITH A LOT OF HOTEL BUSINESS, FOR YOUR HOTEL OPERATOR, YOU SUFFERED A LOT.

BUSINESS TRAVEL, AIRLINE TRAVEL, REALLY SLOWED DOWN, SOCIAL TRAVEL, FAMILY TRAVEL, VERY MUCH SLOWED DOWN.

SO THOSE BUSINESSES SUFFERED AND THE BANKERS WILL LEND TO THEM SUFFERED.

SO AGAIN, NOT A ONE SIZE FITS ALL CRISIS.

SO BE VERY IMPORTANT AS BOTH JILL AND GEORGE AND YOU MENTIONED HOW WHAT HOW MANY OF THESE CHANGES WERE TEMPORARY DURING COVID?

HOW MANY WILL LAST A FEW MONTHS AND WHICH OF THEM MIGHT BE PERMANENT.

IF IF WE LIKE WORKING FROM HOME?

HOW MANY YOU KNOW, HOW ARE THEY GOING TO GO GET A JOB AT GEORGE'S PLACE?

YEAH, JASON HIBBS: YEAH, I WANT TO I WANT TO ASK YOU MORE ABOUT THAT IN A MINUTE.

SORRY TO CUT YOU OFF.

WE'RE UP AGAINST A BREAK.

THOSE OF YOU GUYS AT HOME, WANT YOU TO GRAB YOUR CELL PHONE, OPEN UP THE CAMERA APP, GET READY TO TAKE A PHOTO BECAUSE WE'RE ABOUT TO SHOW YOU SOME RESOURCES, SOME WEBSITES YOU CAN GO TO, TO GET HELP IF YOU NEED HELP, OR IF YOU KNOW OF A LOCAL SMALL BUSINESS OWNER WHO COULD TAKE ADVANTAGE OF SOME OF THESE RESOURCES.

WE'RE GOING TO SHOW YOU THOSE WE'LL BE BACK WITH MORE BACKSTORY IN JUST A MOMENT.

WEBSITES JASON HIBBS: WELCOME BACK TO BACKSTORY, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN AND HOW THE PANDEMIC HAS IMPACTED LOCAL BUSINESSES AND HOW YOU CAN GET HELP.

IF YOU LOST MONEY DURING THIS PANDEMIC.

JILL DURING THE BREAK, YOU WERE MENTIONING THAT SUPPLY CHAIN IS ALSO A REAL ISSUE RIGHT NOW.

JILL BADGER: YEAH, A LOT OF MY SMALL BUSINESSES ARE BEING IMPACTED IN THEIR SALES BECAUSE THEY CAN'T GET SUPPLIES, THEY CAN'T GET THE INVENTORY THEY NEED ON THEIR SHELVES TO SELL THE PRODUCTS.

IT'S NOT THAT THE PEOPLE AREN'T WILLING TO BUY THEM.

BUT SO MANY MANUFACTURERS WERE AT REDUCED CAPACITY OR DIDN'T HAVE PEOPLE DURING THE PANDEMIC THAT WERE WILLING TO WORK AT THOSE FACILITIES, YOU KNOW, THEY WANTED THE SOCIAL DISTANCING, OR THEY JUST DIDN'T, THEY WERE AFRAID TO COME OUT AND WORK.

SO WITH THOSE PLANTS DOWN AND AT SEVERELY REDUCED PRODUCTION, IT HAS CAUSED A DELAY IN WHAT WE'RE SEEING AS I CHANGE FOR A LOT OF OUR SMALL BUSINESSES LIKE GEORGE'S, YOU KNOW, EITHER, IF HE CAN GET THE PRODUCT, I'M SURE IT'S AT A SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER RATE THAN IT WAS LAST YEAR OR THE YEAR BEFORE.

YOU'RE SEEING THAT A LOT.

AND ESPECIALLY LIKE THE HOMES ARE A GOOD INDICATION, YOU KNOW, BUILDERS ARE SAYING WOOD IS FOUR TIMES MORE EXPENSIVE THAN IT WAS I ASKED THE BUILDER OF MY HOME, HE SAID TODAY, IT WOULD COST $100,000 MORE TO BUILD THE HOUSE HE BUILT FOR ME TWO YEARS AGO.

SO THAT'S A PRETTY SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN TWO YEARS.

I KNOW RIGHT NOW, THERE'S A SEVERE SHORTAGE ON COMPUTER CHIPS.

SO IT'S AFFECTING LIKE OUR CAR INDUSTRY.

AND OBVIOUSLY COMPUTER INDUSTRY HERE AT THE CHAMBER.

WE TRIED ORDERING, LIKE SIX COMPUTERS FOR INTERNS.

AND IT'S BEEN EIGHT WEEKS, AND WE STILL DON'T HAVE THEM THINK THE INTERNS ARE GOING TO BE DONE WITH THEIR INTERNSHIP BEFORE I HAVE THE LAPTOPS.

THERE ARE MANY, MANY INDUSTRIES, THE CAR BATTERY INDUSTRY, LIKE THE BATTERIES ARE NEEDED FOR CARS SO MUCH THAT THEY DIDN'T ACTUALLY MANUFACTURE MOTORCYCLE BATTERIES THIS YEAR.

SO THEY THE MANUFACTURERS JUST THAT IT WAS MORE IMPORTANT TO GET THE FOR THEM TO DO THE SUPPLY THEY NEEDED TO THE DIFFERENT CAR MANUFACTURERS, SO THEY DIDN'T GET THE MOTORCYCLES.

SO YOU HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT SELL THOSE.

AND NOW, YOU KNOW, IF THEY AREN'T HAVING ANY NEW ONES THIS YEAR, THERE'S NOTHING FOR THEM TO SELL.

SO THEIR SALES, PEOPLE ARE SEEING THE HIT ON THAT JASON HIBBS: WILL THINGS THE SUPPLY CHAIN RETURNED TO NORMAL WILL THOSE LUMBER PRICES GO BACK TO WHAT THEY WERE A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO.

AND IF SO WHEN JILL BADGER: I HAVE A FEELING, IT'S GOING TO TAKE A LOT TO REDUCE IT BECAUSE UNFORTUNATELY, PEOPLE ARE STILL BUYING, THERE'S SO MUCH MONEY OUT THERE RIGHT NOW, WHETHER PEOPLE GOT STIMULUS MONEY OR WHATEVER THE CASE MAY BE THAT THEY'RE STILL BUYING HOMES, THEY'RE STILL BUYING CARS, THEY'RE STILL BUYING COMPUTERS.

AND WHILE THEY'RE STILL BUYING, WE'RE SELLING IT AT JUST SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER COST.

AND SO IF WE DON'T STOP BUYING, THEN IT'S NOT GOING TO GIVE THEM ANY INCENTIVE TO REDUCE OUR COSTS.

JASON HIBBS: WITH THIS AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN, THERE ARE A LOT OF GROUPS OF PEOPLE WHO CAN GET HELP IF THEY NEEDED.

I MEAN, I KNOW THEY'RE STILL RENTAL ASSISTANCE, YOU KNOW, ARE THERE DO YOU FEEL LIKE EVERYONE WHO'S ELIGIBLE FOR HELP, THAT THEY KNOW THEY CAN GET THIS HELP?

OR ARE THERE STILL GROUPS AND COMMUNITIES?

UNAWARE OF WHAT'S OUT THERE?

AND WHAT DO YOU SAY TO THEM?

JILL BADGER: I ALWAYS FEEL LIKE THERE'S GROUPS OF PEOPLE, THERE'S STILL PEOPLE WHO DON'T KNOW THAT THE SBDC OR THE SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CENTER EXISTS.

SO THERE'S ALWAYS GROUPS OF PEOPLE THAT DON'T KNOW WHAT'S OUT THERE.

IF YOU ARE IN NEED OF ASSISTANCE IN YOUR SMALL BUSINESS, PLEASE FIND YOUR LOCAL CHAMBER SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CENTER, ANY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CENTER, IF YOU CONTACT A CITY, A COUNTY, OR EVEN A UNIVERSITY, THEY WILL BE ABLE TO FIND YOU SOMEONE IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND WE ALL TALK TO EACH OTHER ON A FAIRLY REGULAR BASIS AND WE'LL FIND THE RIGHT PERSON TO HELP YOU.

WE CAN IDENTIFY WHAT GRANTS OR WHATEVER MIGHT BE OUT THERE FOR YOUR SMALL BUSINESS.

MICHAEL BEAZLEY: JILL IS VERY RIGHT I JUST GONNA IN TERMS OF FOLKS DON'T KNOW AND IT'S NORMAL NOT TO KNOW IT'S JUST SO MUCH NOISE OUT THERE.

THERE'S OTHER HELP THAT JILL SHOP PROVIDES EVEN IF YOUR SMALL BUSINESS IS LOOKING FOR COVID RELIEF.

THE SMALL BUSINESS GROUP DOES GREAT WORK JUST HELPING YOU MAYBE UP RESHAPE YOUR BUSINESS EMERGING FROM THE PANDEMIC, MAYBE THEY HELP LOOK AT YOUR BOOKS, THEY'VE GOT A GREAT TEAM OF FOLKS DOWN THERE THAT CAN REALLY DO GOOD FOR YOUR BUSINESS IS AMAZING.

AND IN THE BEGINNING JILL TALKED ABOUT THE REALLY SMALL SHOPS THAT DON'T HAVE YOU KNOW THE TECHNOLOGY OR THE BANKING RELATIONSHIPS, THEY CAN REALLY BRING IN A TEAM THAT CAN GIVE YOU SOME ADVICE TO TO REALLY MAXIMIZE YOUR POTENTIAL SO IT'S WORTH ENGAGING IN ON THE BUSINESS SIDE AND AS WELL ON THE JUST MATTER WHAT'S GOING ON WITH YOUR BUSINESS AS WELL AS FOR CALL YOUR YOUR YOUR CITY HOUSING DEPARTMENT OR YOUR YOUR CONTACT YOUR TOWNSHIP OR YOUR CITY.

THEY HELP CONNECT THERE'S RENTAL ASSISTANCE ASSISTANCE OPPORTUNITIES OUT THERE, AND SOME SPACES THAT PEOPLE DON'T KNOW ABOUT AND IT'S HARD TO UNDERSTAND.

THEY TRY AND REACH OUT TO LANDLORDS TRY AND REACH OUT TO BECAUSE LANDLORDS WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE CAN PAY THEIR RENT CAN GET RENTAL ASSISTANCE.

BUT IT'S IT'S NEVER AN EASY AUTOMATIC FLOW.

THERE'S CHALLENGES ALWAYS THERE.

JASON HIBBS: AND MICHAEL, IT'S BEEN REPORTED LUCAS COUNTY WILL GET $83 MILLION TOLEDO 188 MILLION OREGON ABOUT 4 MILLION.

THE MONEY HAS TO BE SPENT BY DECEMBER 2024.

HOW ARE YOU GOING TO SPEND THE MONEY?

I MEAN, WHO WITHIN CITY GOVERNMENT GETS TO MAKE THAT CALL?

AND WHAT ARE THE PRIORITIES?

MICHAEL BEAZLEY: OBVIOUSLY, THOSE ARE CHALLENGES.

AND IT'S IT AGAIN, THIS THERE'S STRINGS ON THESE DOLLARS, THE MONEY IS COMING TO THE GOVERNMENT'S.

IT IS EASY TO SPEND IF YOU'RE SPENDING ON WATER AND SEWER INFRASTRUCTURE, OR ON BROADBAND.

IF YOU DON'T NEED A LOT OF THAT, THEN IT'S HARDER TO SPEND THE MONEY.

IF YOU HAD LOST REVENUE MOST GOVERNMENTS DID.

FOR OREGON, IT'S EASY FOR ME, I SAID IT WASN'T A ONE SIZE FITS ALL ARE GOING TO HEAD AMONG THE HARDEST HITS.

I THINK THE HARDEST HIT IN THE REGION, MAYBE US IN SANDUSKY, BECAUSE THE REFUNDS ARE WHAT REALLY PAYS THE BILLS HERE ARE REFINERIES AND THE REFINERIES, PEOPLE STOP DRIVING, PEOPLE STOP FLYING.

AND THOSE BUSINESSES REALLY SLOW DOWN.

SO OUR REVENUE LAST YEAR WAS DOWN 23% CASH TO CASH, THE LARGEST HIT IN THE REGION.

NOW WE HAD PLANNED FOR THINGS LIKE THAT.

BUT SO FOR THE THINGS YOU CAN USE THE MONEY FOR FIRST TO TO MAKE UP FOR LOST REVENUE.

SO OREGON LOST MORE REVENUE, JUST IN ONE YEAR THAN THAT FULL AMOUNT.

SO THAT'LL PAY THAT BACK.

BUT YOU WOULD INVEST IN WATER AND SEWER INFRASTRUCTURE, BUT ALSO AND BROADBAND BUT ALSO IMPACTS ANY IMPACT YOU CAN MEASURE FROM THE PANDEMIC, WHETHER IT BE HEALTH RELATED SAFETY RELATED, NEIGHBORHOOD INVESTMENT THAT TIES TO IMPACTS OF THE PANDEMIC ARE EASIER TO SPEND ON THOSE CATEGORIES ARE AVAILABLE.

IF ALSO, IF YOU HAVE QUALIFYING CENSUS TRACTS THAT HAVE HAD GREATER POVERTY HITS FROM IT, IT IS EASIER TO SPEND IN THOSE CATEGORIES.

SO SOME COMMUNITIES WILL HAVE A VERY EASY TIME MAKING THOSE DECISIONS.

FOR OREGON, IT'S RELATIVELY SIMPLE, WE JUST LOST THAT REVENUE REALLY HELPS REPLACE THAT REVENUE THAT WAS OUT THERE.

YOU CAN USE IT TO TO MEET THOSE NEEDS OTHER COMMITTEES AND HAVE A HARD TIME SPENDING AND ARE HAPPY TO GET CREATIVE, I'M GOING TO GO THROUGH THEIR APPROPRIATE PROCESSES AS TO WHO DECIDES IT'LL BE THE BE THE LEGISLATIVE AUTHORITY OF THE MUNICIPALITY.

ULTIMATELY, IT'LL BE THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS IN A COUNTY THAT TOWNSHIP TRUSTEES AND A TOWNSHIP, THE TOWNSHIPS ARE HAVING A LITTLE HARDER TIME GETTING THE DOLLARS, THEN CITIES AND VILLAGES RIGHT NOW, BECAUSE OF THE WAY THEY PROVIDE SERVICES.

AND THERE'S SOME THERE'S SOME REGULATIONS AND NEGOTIATING GOING ON THAT HELP DEAL WITH THAT AS WELL.

JASON HIBBS: SO HEY, GEORGE, LOOKING BACK ON THIS WHOLE THING, LIKE WHAT LESSONS DID YOU LEARN DURING THE PANDEMIC?

AND WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO OTHER BUSINESS OWNERS?

GEORGE MCALLISTER: CASHFLOW ALWAYS CASH IS KING, SAVE YOUR MONEY, SPEND IT WISELY.

TRYING TO LOOK FOR WAYS TO ACTUALLY SELL YOUR PRODUCT.

THERE WAS WE DID ONLINE ACCESSES WHERE CUSTOMERS COULD ORDER ONLINE, COMPLETELY TOUCHLESS.

BUT WE'VE COME OUT OF THAT.

BUT TO GROW THOSE ASPECTS WHERE WE DIDN'T HAVE BEFORE, HAS IMPROVED OUR BUSINESS AND OUR OUTLOOK ON YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT IT'S GONNA COME TOMORROW.

SO WE'RE ALWAYS PREPARED.

AND LIKE JILL SAID, A LOT OF BUSINESS WEREN'T PREPARED FOR ANYTHING, ANY KIND OF DISASTER THAT MIGHT COME WHERE IF YOU HAVE A SAVINGS ACCOUNT AS A BUSINESS, AND YOU CAN SUSTAIN YOUR BUSINESS WITHOUT INCOME FOR SIX MONTHS, AND SO ON AND SO FORTH, TO BE ABLE TO SURVIVE, SOMETHING THAT HAPPENS.

STOCK MARKET CRASH ANYTHING AND THEY YOU KNOW, CAN YOU SURVIVE AND PAY ALL YOUR BILLS IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME, YOU KNOW, SAY A YEAR, YOU KNOW, IF YOU HAD THAT KIND OF SAVINGS.

IT'S IT'S A IT WAS DEFINITELY A SHOCKER.

LIKE I SAID, I BOUGHT THE BUSINESS AND JUST OPEN UP AND NOT OPEN UP.

WE KEPT MOVING FORWARD AND THEN THEY SAID AND WE'RE LIKE, OH, SHOOT, WHAT DO WE DO?

I SAID, EVERYBODY'S LIKE, A GENERAL MANAGER TOLD ME WE GOT SHUT DOWN.

HE SAID WE'RE AN ESSENTIAL BUSINESS.

WE WAIT I'LL BE HERE BY MYSELF.

I HAVE TO I GOT TO PAY BILLS AND BUT I'M IT'S PLANNING.

IT'S ALWAYS PLANNING FOR THE UNKNOWN.

YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN.

THAT ARE JASON HIBBS: AND WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO WRAP THERE BUT I THINK THAT IS VERY WISE ADVICE TO TO END ON.

THANKS TO ALL OF YOU FOR BEING HERE.

THANKS TO THOSE AT HOME FOR WATCHING BACKSTORY.

AND FOR ALL OF YOU WORKING HARD BEHIND THE SCENES HERE BACKSTORY I'M JASON HIBBS.

AND WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT TIME.

ANNOUNCER: BACK STORY IS MADE POSSIBLE IN PART BY KEYBANK.

ANNOUNCER: WITH ADDITIONAL SUPPORT FROM THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS AND BY VIEWERS LIKE YOU.

THANK YOU (MUSIC)