The Kenai City Council will hold a public hearing regarding an ordinance aimed at helping Kenai residents impacted by COVID-19 get more bang for their buck when buying groceries and other necessary household goods.
Ordinance 3191-2021 was introduced at the February 3 meeting and approved on the consent agenda, so it will officially go before the council and the public on February 17. The program aims to provide Kenai residents who certify that they have been financially impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic with up to $200 in vouchers, in increments of $100, at local grocery retailers, once they spend $100 or $200 at the grocer.
Residents will provide receipts to receive matching vouchers. As currently set to be proposed in front of the council, the program would be funded at $200,000, allowing 1,000 residents to participate if individuals provide $200 each in receipts, and even more if some residents provide $100 in receipts.
In a memo to the council from Mayor Brian Gabriel, he notes that funding for the program comes from the General Fund, but that it utilizes money that was unspent from the city’s CARES Act funding.
The Mayor also noted that data shows that there is currently a need for the program, but also lauded the potential benefits of the program encouraging Kenai residents to shop locally, much like the Shop Here All Year program is incentivizing shoppers to spend money on non-essential items in the city.