Tomball Magnolia Potpourri - News
Chamber asks members to participate in countywide damage assessment project
By ALLEN JONES
The Greater Tomball Area Chamber of Commerce is calling on its business members to help a Harris County task force complete a preliminary damage assessment of destruction caused by Hurricane Ike in September to request federal funding for economic development countywide.
The funds would help business owners who suffered losses, damages, displacement or substantial business interruption due to the hurricane. Funds would also help those businesses turned down for U.S. Small Business Administration loans or help cover losses insurance or Federal Emergency Management Agency funds fell short of providing.
Tomball Chamber president Bruce Hillegeist e-mail blasted a survey to the nonprofit business networking organization’s membership Dec. 31. Along with the survey, documents from the Greater Houston Partnership’s Hurricane Ike Assessment Task Force were attached that explain how the information could help businesses obtain funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and FEMA.
Harris County will be seeking funds in 2009 to help businesses receive capital bridge loans and grants; repair private historic structures and transportation modes such as airports, bus shelters, and rail spurs; receive technical assistance to rebuild businesses; receive technical and capital assistance to reinforce businesses in the face of future hurricanes; and receive funding to attract tourism, conventions and to regain the customer base many businesses may have lost.
Hillegeist said the Harris County Community Services Department approved the documents to be sent to the business community within the county in an attempt to obtain economic development funding from the federal agencies due to the Category 2 hurricane that hit the Tomball area on Sept. 13.
“The information obtained from the Tomball area business community will be necessary to justify the overall request the county sends for recovery funding,” he said.
The Greater Houston Partnership has been designated by the county to collect “this important information,” Hillegeist stated in the e-mail. The GHP, he said, is asking businesses to respond by Friday, Jan. 9 so all information and other data can be entered into the county’s master spreadsheet.
Hillegeist said the survey has seven questions and will not take business owners long to fill out.
“Rough estimates, not exact amounts of losses are acceptable,” he said.
According to the Hurricane Ike Damage Assessment Task Force documentation, the group will not be able to determine how much Harris County will need for business recovery efforts without the assistance of business owners in Tomball and other regions of the county.
The Greater Houston Partnership is the task force organization handling the Tomball, Jersey Village and Humble areas.
“If you have questions, contact Jessical Poole, GHP, Hurricane Ike Assessment Task Force Leader-Economic Development, at 713-844-3653 or jpoole@houston.org,” Hillegeist said.
More Online
The Harris County master spreadsheet may be accessed online at www.csd.hctx.net/Article.aspx?ArticleID=789. The site also contains a presentation and other general information on the countywide effort.
The funds would help business owners who suffered losses, damages, displacement or substantial business interruption due to the hurricane. Funds would also help those businesses turned down for U.S. Small Business Administration loans or help cover losses insurance or Federal Emergency Management Agency funds fell short of providing.
Tomball Chamber president Bruce Hillegeist e-mail blasted a survey to the nonprofit business networking organization’s membership Dec. 31. Along with the survey, documents from the Greater Houston Partnership’s Hurricane Ike Assessment Task Force were attached that explain how the information could help businesses obtain funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and FEMA.
Harris County will be seeking funds in 2009 to help businesses receive capital bridge loans and grants; repair private historic structures and transportation modes such as airports, bus shelters, and rail spurs; receive technical assistance to rebuild businesses; receive technical and capital assistance to reinforce businesses in the face of future hurricanes; and receive funding to attract tourism, conventions and to regain the customer base many businesses may have lost.
Hillegeist said the Harris County Community Services Department approved the documents to be sent to the business community within the county in an attempt to obtain economic development funding from the federal agencies due to the Category 2 hurricane that hit the Tomball area on Sept. 13.
“The information obtained from the Tomball area business community will be necessary to justify the overall request the county sends for recovery funding,” he said.
The Greater Houston Partnership has been designated by the county to collect “this important information,” Hillegeist stated in the e-mail. The GHP, he said, is asking businesses to respond by Friday, Jan. 9 so all information and other data can be entered into the county’s master spreadsheet.
Hillegeist said the survey has seven questions and will not take business owners long to fill out.
“Rough estimates, not exact amounts of losses are acceptable,” he said.
According to the Hurricane Ike Damage Assessment Task Force documentation, the group will not be able to determine how much Harris County will need for business recovery efforts without the assistance of business owners in Tomball and other regions of the county.
The Greater Houston Partnership is the task force organization handling the Tomball, Jersey Village and Humble areas.
“If you have questions, contact Jessical Poole, GHP, Hurricane Ike Assessment Task Force Leader-Economic Development, at 713-844-3653 or jpoole@houston.org,” Hillegeist said.
More Online
The Harris County master spreadsheet may be accessed online at www.csd.hctx.net/Article.aspx?ArticleID=789. The site also contains a presentation and other general information on the countywide effort.
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