Three grants OK’d

Nearly $4,000 in additional grants have been awarded to Portland business.

The Portland Economic Development Income Tax (EDIT) Advisory Committee met Thursday to preliminarily approve $1,250 coronavirus relief grants for Patriot Fitness, The Loft on Meridian and Progressive Office Products after they reported losing thousands of dollars in revenue this year.

The grants were awarded through the city’s Small Business Resilience Grant program, which has had nine applicants since it opened in August.

Patriot Fitness was the only business to apply to the program since the committee’s meeting last week. It turned in all the necessary tax forms and profit margin sheets along with The Loft and Progressive Office Products.

The Loft reported a $33,000 decrease in revenue this year compared to 2019, when Progressive Office Products made $21,500 less and Patriot Fitness had a dip of around $9,200, according to those business’ applications and profit margin sheets.

“Kind of like the virus (affects people), you don’t know how it’s going to affect businesses,” committee member Kent McClung said.

Greazy Pickle LLC and Triple Taxi Service remain the only businesses that have applied to the program to not receive funds since they have not provided the necessary tax forms and supplement information needed to justify being awarded money.

P&B United Enterprise, Flower Nook, Adams Physical Therapy Services Inc. and Renegade Custom Cycles were all awarded $1,250 grants by the committee in the past month.

Portland Mayor John Boggs, who created the program by executive order in July, told committee members Mike Aker, Lori Phillips and McClung that he will contact Greazy Pickle to offer a reminder that the necessary documents need to be turned in.

The Portland EDIT Advisory Committee is scheduled to meet Thursday to discuss any new applications or businesses eligible for the grant, applications for which are available online at bit.ly/2EbHMcC.