The Kenai City Council met Wednesday to deliberate on a resolution that would authorize an amendment of the Shop Local Economic Stimulus Program to extend the program dates and authorize the city manager to execute an agreement with the Kenai Chamber of Commerce and Visitor Center for administration of the program.
According to Kenai, the City Administration worked jointly with the Kenai Chamber of Commerce to monitor the success of the program and recommends an extension of the program for an additional month. City Manager Paul Ostrander, “The total vouchers that have been sent out for the program is $135,050 so we have seen a significant uptick over the last couple of weeks. With this extension, as of today, the program is about six weeks old. If we added this extension it would provide for an additional six weeks. According to the Chamber, things have actually increased here, even recently. It’s likely that, over the course of the next month, we will get really close to the $300,000 that the program has to use up all of the funds.”
City Council voted to approve the resolution, which would extend the Shop Local Economic Stimulus Program for an additional month, concluding on May 1st. The extension allows the program to continue at the level of funding previously approved by the Council with an increase in the actual administrative costs of $8,500 that will reduce the direct incentive to shoppers from $335,000 to $326,500, but continue the program that rewards local shopping, promotes Kenai businesses, and assists in the city’s recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.
The program allows for individuals who spend $100 or $200 on discretionary items in Kenai to receive one $50 or one $100 voucher to spend at Kenai businesses participating in the program on a first-come, first-serve basis.