PAGE A6, KEIZERTIMES, SEPTEMBER 11, 2020
Gearing up
SPEND,
continued from Page A1
A group of local cycling enthusiasts,
sponsored by Cherriots Trip Share, NW
Hub and Keizer United, put together a
bike repair event at Keizer Church of
Christ Friday, Sept. 4.
RIGHT: Hersch Sangster fi ts a
visitor with a helmet. BELOW:
Bentley Nicholoson-Nelson and
Emily Loberg, of NW Hub, tune
up some wheels.
KEIZERTIMES/Eric A. Howald
PROMISE: About 1,000 students
had expected aid revoked
(Continued from Page A1)
being reallocated to the 2020
Rebalance Plan– an initiative
to close the budget shortfall
caused by COVID-19.
“In response to this cut,
we really only have one
viable option, and that is
to cap the program on the
basis of expected family
contribution (EFC) level,” an
HECC spokesperson said in
an email to Oregon House
Rep. Bill Post. He reached out
to the HECC on behalf of
constituents that had questions
about the cuts to the grant
budget.
“While we are able
to preserve the Oregon
Promise grants for the lowest
income levels, the new
budget limitation to Oregon
Promise is expected to impact
approximately 1,000 students
who have been previously
told they were awarded
the grant,” the statement
continued. “We know, despite
the fact that we are clear in
our communications that
award status is dependent on
legislative appropriations, that
students have made plans.”
While this lumps yet another
unusual and unfortunate
situation on the Class of 2020,
the alternatives are taking out
student loans or taking a gap
year. Farris thinks colleges and
universities will experience
low-enrollment this year and
ramp up recruiting efforts for
the Class of 2021.
“The Class of 2021 may
feel discouraged right now.
However, I believe that all
colleges and universities are
looking for ways to bring
students to their campuses and
you will see that in the ways
they will recruit over this next
year,” Farris said.
As students transition to
online distance learning, the
temptation to coast through
their senior year will intensify,
but Farris warns seniors to stay
vigilant.
“Class of 2021, your senior
year may not be ideal, but I
feel like you will have a lot
of opportunities as you look
toward your college options.
The important thing is to not
get discouraged. You still need
to do the hard work that is
necessary during a traditional
senior fall,” Farris said.
For families who pursue
alternative
methods
of
payment for community
college this year, there is some
hope.
“The state often changes
requirements year by year,”
Farris said. “Some years there
is a high EFC limit, other times
all students who graduate with
a 2.5 GPA qualify.”
The HECC said there is
potential for the Class of 2020
to get grant money next year,
though it is unlikely.
“It has been the case in the
past that if a student qualifi ed
for the Promise, but was not
awarded because they did not
meet the EFC, and they attend
a community college, we award
the student in their second year.
This is also entirely dependent
on legislative appropriations
and we can in no way project
or commit in advance that will
happen. In fact, it seems more
unlikely this time due to the
expected diffi cult 2022-23
budget cycle.”
For more information visit
oregonstudentaid.gov/oregon-
promise-faq.aspx.
Unfortunately, we have a
few things we’d like to use
the money for as well,” said
Tim Wood, Keizer fi nance
director.
A staff memo offered only
an outline of how the money
would be spent:
• $280,000 for Keizer Civic
Center and infrastructure
improvements to further
reduce the risk of COVID-19
transmission and support
remote work capabilities
• $500,000 for community
relief agencies and non-
profi ts to provide fi nancial
relief for residents impacted
by COVID-19.
• $150,000 for business
grants to provide fi nancial
relief for businesses impacted
by COVID-19 (about a
third of this allocation is
already being used to supply
forgivable business loans.)
• $50,000 for personal
protective equipment (PPE)
for city staff and community.
• $150,000 to cover
unanticipated staff costs as the
result of COVID-19.
PPE purchased with the
grant funding would likely be
shared with the organizations
that use the Keizer Cultural
Center.
After the meeting, Wood
offered more detail on what
was being considered.
The city is considering
a remodel of the customer
service area of the city offi ces
that would offer better
coverage and protection of
city employees from threats
ranging from COVID-19 to
physical altercations.
“It would look like the
Keizer Police Department’s
customer service area but with
shatter-resistant glass rather
than bulletproof glass,” Wood
said. “We are concerned that
our temporary sneeze guard
isn’t substantial enough to
meet some of the proposed
guidance being given out by
OSHA and the Governor’s
Offi ce.”
Wood said the money given
to community organizations
would be earmarked for
fi nancial support to Keizer
residents who have been
impacted by COVID-19.
Whatever
funds
are
earmarked for those purposes
would likely be doled out in
smaller amounts in exchange
for detailed accounting on
the part of organizations
that receive it. Keeping
close track would help the
city avoid the money being
used for the religious-based
activities of organizations
such as Salvation Army and
St. Vincent DePaul.
“We have already received
confi rmation from several of
the organizations that they
can and already are tracking
assistance that they provide to
Keizer residents. In addition,
they have indicated that they
will be able to provide a
detailed accounting of how
the funds are spent,” Wood
said. “We will specifi cally
designate that the funds
are to be used only for
COVID-19 fi nancial relief.
That, combined with a timely
accounting of funds, will
signifi cantly reduce the risk
that they are diverted for
other purposes.”
The city is under the gun
to qualify for reimbursement
of the money, the entire $1.13
million must be spent by
Dec. 30. The city transferred
money from the general fund,
which is the primary source
of police department funding,
to cover the upfront costs.
“We will need some help
getting the money spent,”
Wood said.
sudoku
Enter digits
from 1-9 into
the blank spac-
es. Every row
must
contain one
of each digit.
So must every
column, as
must every
3x3 square.
maze
Maze by Jonathan Graf of Keizer