Business owner frustrated with Jumpstart flood recovery program

Bill Ganoe is frustrated by the lengthy process of applying for and receiving flood recovery money from the city's Jumpstart program.

“They would call me, and I would drop what I was doing and go get what they need, and take it right to them,” said Ganoe, owner of City Beat Restaurant and Bar, 302 Third Ave. SW.

The restaurant took on about 8 feet of water during the flood of 2008.  The following year Ganoe reopened his doors, but that took a lot of help from lenders.  Now he fears he won't be able to pay the money back if he doesn't get funding from the city's Jumpstart program.

“Those loans are set up on one time payment, so if I don't get the money from Jumpstart, I don't know how we're going to pay the loans,” he said.

Through the program eligible businesses can receive money to help offset their recovery costs.  Ganoe said he is the perfect example of someone who needs that money, so he can't figure out why he isn't getting any funding.  He believes the whole process is a turnoff to potential business in the city.

“There are many people that need the help that aren't applying for it because they don't have the time to deal with it,” he said.

Time is one of Ganoe's biggest complaints.  He said he has already been approved for funding through the Jumpstart program, but so far he is yet see a penny.

“They requested a check to be drawn for us on Oct. 14, and I still haven't gotten any check,” he said.

The city defends Jumpstart, and leaders say it is an effective program.

“It's a very complex, layered program, to try and assist businesses,” said city representative Jennifer Pratt.

Pratt said the city is getting the recovery funding out the door in a timely manner.  She said the red tape is there for a reason, and the city wants to make sure the business receives the full amount of funding all at once.

“We want to make sure that these businesses can not only build themselves back up and grow and become even stronger in the future,” she said.

But Ganoe said there isn't going to be a future if the city doesn't get business owners, like him, the money.

“We're coming up on two and a half years.  That for a small business like we are, that's a long time,” he said.