Gooding Community Newsletter
April 2020, #26
Changes Continue
Gooding City Council Meetings Move to Online Format
Join Zoom Meeting
https://zoom.us/j/897599538?pwd=OXFaejQ5OUJlS0lpdGxOZC9yMm9lQT09
Meeting ID: 897 599 538
Password: 453210
We would ask you to remember that like a regular meeting there is an agenda with specific times set aside for public comment and visitor business. If you would ever like to be added to an agenda, just email city clerk Hollye Lierman at hlierman@goodingidaho.org
Note From Police Chief Fisher
We are in unique times as we all try to do our part in the fight against the Corona Virus. Please keep in mind that the orders to self-isolate or stay at home issued by the Governor and Department of Health and Welfare are for the well-being of all of us. It does not mean that you must stay at home forever as we all have needs for food, supplies and exercise, but we must be cautious and maintain social distancing for the health of each of us and for others. New testing is on its way to help flatten the curve of infection and limit exposure times once diagnosed in a more timely manner. Our park facilities remain open, but gatherings of people within the parks is forbidden. All toys in the parks are also closed and may not be used during these times and until further notice. The Gooding Police Department is also practicing social distancing by minimizing personal contacts when possible. We are, however, still available at all times and continuing our normal patrols.
The Corona Virus has resulted in a number of other fraudulent activities, including those who will say that they can provide you with any stimulus check from the government. As with nearly all of these schemes, they ask that you to pay them some kind of fee before releasing the funds. Any such request is a red flag for fraud. As always, any guarantee of money in exchange for gift cards is also a red flag for fraud. Be vigilant about any offers of money or requests for your personal information, even from a company you may do business with, including the IRS. If you suspect that a call is not legitimate, do not provide any information and call the company yourself at a known publicized number to verify the authenticity.
Lastly, Spring has finally arrived and we all have little to do and nowhere to go given the stay at home order. This is a great time for spring cleaning and yard maintenance. The Gooding Tree Yard remains open and takes wood of all types in two piles: clippings and lumber. All other rubbish must be taken to the transfer station just north of Wendell and there may be fees for some items such as refrigerators, tires, and extra large items. Most metals are free to dump such as old appliances like washers, dryers, fencing, and scrap. The transfer station in Wendell has a free tire day scheduled for Saturday, 2 May, 2020. The limit is 4 passenger or truck tires per person and tires must be off of the rims or wheels. If you have questions, please visit their website at www.sisw.org.
Financial Assistance Offered from State/Federal Programs from Senator Michelle Stennett
Medicaid
IDHW is reducing /removing barriers to the provision and receipt of medical care.
WIC (Women, Infants and Children) and SNAPP (Food Stamp) Benefits
IDHW is relaxing inventory requirements that grocery stores must normally meet.
Unemployment Insurance
Under the Federal Cares (Coronavirus Aid Relief & Economic Security) Act
Will bring at least $1.25 billion to Idaho to help businesses and individuals.
Rescue Package will direct distribution of $1,200/ individual (up to $75,000/year
income), $2,400/joint returns, $500/child delivered (in 3 weeks if direct deposit, longer if
check is mailed).
Unemployment benefits are $250-$800/week, depending on state.
Unemployment benefits will be increased an extra $600 per week for up to 4 months,
and benefits will run for 39 weeks.
Lending fund for businesses, educational stabilization money for schools and
universities.
Unemployment benefits will be paid for the first week of an unemployment insurance
claim (referred to as a “waiting week” because benefits are not normally paid for the first
week of a claim). Waiving one week waiting period for those eligible makes it easier to
seek. An additional 14 days to appeal claims/decisions will be added to the existing 14
days.
Unemployment claimants will be considered “job attached,” meaning they are assumed
to be able to return to their old jobs when the crisis has passed and will not be required to
look for alternative work.
The Cares Act will also relieve employers from having to pay higher unemployment
insurance taxes because of benefits paid to their employees.
Businesses who pay a quarterly employment tax, will not be charged when their
employees will be laid off due to the virus. Again, an addition 14 days to appeal is added
to the current 14-day time period.
These provisions are in effect beginning March 8, 2020.
Business Dislocation Response
Small businesses and their owners as they generally do not have access to unemployment
insurance benefits, and their business resources are often very limited. Certain small business
services are “essential” in terms of the 21-day stay at home order.
Small Business Administration loans: website up, funds online.
CARES Act has a Paycheck Protection Program and Loan Forgiveness provision, $350 billion
For 100% federally guaranteed loans for 8 weeks of assistance to small businesses,
501©3, and 501©19 non-profit veteran organizations.
Disaster loans have a 3.75% interest for a business loan and 2.75% interest on a non-
profit loan. SBA has 30-year amortization loans to keep payments low.
Proprietors, independent contractors, self-employed individuals are also eligible for these
loans.
These loans can be forgiven when used for payroll costs, interest on mortgage
obligations, rent and utilities.
SBA and non-SBA lenders will be authorized to make these loans, alleviating a lot of
bottleneck, including their online portal. This will be expedited and most of the lenders in
Idaho are SBA lenders.
If you are going online to apply for a disaster loan, right now you can receive up to $2
million of disaster relief, an economic entry disaster loan.
Site www.sba.gov/disaster to apply on online portal, website https://covid19relief.sba.gov/#/.
Once submitted, can track your application at 800-659-2955 or email
disastercustomerservice@sba.gov. SBA questions can be directed to regional office 208-334-
9004 in Boise, Small Business Development Center at 208-426-3875, Treasure Valley Chapter
208-334-1696, Women’s Business Center 208-996-1572.
Resources are free. Beware of scammers. If anyone is charging for services, should be reported
to SBA as scammers. Can find information on www.sba.gov/updates and the Idaho Department
of Labor website.
New State Income Tax Filing Deadline: June 15, 2020
The Governor would have liked to extend the Idaho income tax filing deadline to the new federal
income tax filing deadline of July 15th, but Idaho’s current budget year must be in balance on the
fiscal year end of June 30th. This necessitates receiving income tax payments that remain due
before the end of the budget period.
Plus $39.3 million is being transferred from the State Tax Relief Fund to the Disaster Emergency
account, the maximum under law, for critical needs PPE, test kits, lab supplies, hospital beds, to
build extra facilities, and for critical childcare.
Renter Evictions
The Administration has found reaching out to large apartment complex owners fairly easy, but
smaller operators are more difficult to identify and reach. The large operators will have access to government loans.
The Governor noted that eviction cases are not a high priority for the courts now, that his Administration has been working with utilities, including cable companies, to keep
services in place and that appeals have been made to small and large apartment owners not to
evict for nonpayment of rent. The Governor noted that it doesn’t make sense to evict right now
because it is unlikely an apartment can be re-rented to someone else who can pay rent.
2020 Census
It is especially important during this difficult time to participate in the 2020 Census, everyone.
An incredible amount of services and infrastructure rely on the Census data which impacts the
quality of all our lives. The easiest way to be counted is online at 2020census.gov.
Idaho’s Primary Election
Because of the COVID-19 crisis, Idaho’s Primary Election, set for May 19 th , will be by mail
only. This will require you requesting an absentee ballot: idahovotes.gov,
https://idahovotes.gov/absentee-voter-information/
https://sos.idaho.gov/elect/clerk/forms/2020_Primary_Absentee_Request_Fillable.pdf.
Then, send the completed form to your county elections clerk: https://idahovotes.gov/county-
clerks/ .
Voters will choose party nominees for the Idaho Legislature, county offices, both U.S. House
seats, and the U.S. Senate seat currently held by Sen. Jim Risch (R-Idaho).
Gooding Music Program Update
Due to the current coronavirus pandemic, we are cancelling all events related to our annual fundraiser weekend including the Superhero/Princess event scheduled April 3, and the Enchanted Evening event scheduled April 4. If you purchased tickets for this event and would like a refund, then please contact music@goodingschools.org. Please be patient as we expect to process several requests. Patrons may choose to donate these funds rather than receive a refund. We appreciate the community’s continuing support of the Gooding Music Program.
Personal note from the Music Director:
These decisions have not been made lightly. It is painful to not present the music, art, and hard work of our students. We have dedicated a large amount of time leading up to and preparing for these events. Our event cancellations are truly about our whole community. This is about
the percent of our community that will really need a hospital, and a high functioning one. This is about making sure that when our brothers and sisters and neighbors all around us need access to that help, it is available. It’s about slowing the spread to protect the lives of our community – even, and especially, those we don’t regularly interact with. Cancelling our events right now is a profoundly compassionate and human focused step to build up our community, and I just can’t think of a more artistic thing than that. Loving, supporting, and taking care of humans is what the arts is about. Let our silent performances and dark stage be an artistic statement about how we love those around us more than the work we’ve put into our performance. It’s a beautiful thing we have a chance to do, and the world will remember and value that for years to come!
GCHS ANNUAL MEETING INSTALLS OFFICERS
The Annual Members Meeting of the Gooding County Historical Society was held January 18, 2020 at the Gooding County Historical Museum and Research Center.
New Officers for 2020 were elected at the December Election and were installed as follows: Ilene Rounsefell President, Karlee Brown Secretary, and as Directors, Donna Egeler, Fae Christopherson, and Penny Pauls. Continuing to fulfill their 2-year term as Officers and Directers are Larry Graves Vic President, and Barbara Bunn, Ruby Graves, Nancy Turley, and Joani Pauls as Directors. As Museum Director and Curator, Melody Wilkinson, and as Newsletter Editor, Phyllis Kochert.
The next election will be held in December 2020 and the next Annual Meeting for all members and Installation of Officers will be held in January 2021.
COVID-19 info in 14 languages
Further Resources
For information about the Gooding Public Library and how to get access to free books online, please visit https://gooding.lili.org/
For information about the North Valley Academy, please visit https://www.northvalleyacademy.org/index.jsp
For information about the Idaho School for the Deaf and Blind, please visit https://www.iesdb.org/
To stay up-to-date on city related information, please visit http://www.goodingidaho.org/
For questions on any local businesses, please call those businesses or visit their respective websites. Our local businesses need all of the support they can get, so if you are able please make your purchases locally.
This is a Publication of the City of Gooding
Email: councilmancolin@gmail.com
Website: www.goodingidaho.org
Location: 308 5th Avenue West, Gooding, ID, USA
Phone: (208)-934-5669