Town council to adopt Vail Relief Fund distribution policies at March 31 special meeting

The Vail Town Council will consider adoption of a resolution establishing a $500,000 Vail Relief Fund associated with COVID-19 impacts during a special meeting Tuesday, March 31. The meeting will begin at 4 p.m. Tuesday and will be held virtually via Zoom with a live feed from High Five Access Media. Community members are encouraged to view the meeting.

The Vail Relief Fund, outlined in Resolution No. 13, is the 6th item on Tuesday’s agenda. As proposed, the town would partner with local non-profit 501c-3 organizations to provide relief in the areas of food, shelter and health for the Vail community, as these organizations are best equipped to provide front line service to community members and businesses.

Funding applications for the Vail Relief Fund would be handled through an online form the town uses during its annual budgeting process. Organizations would be required to provide an overview of the funding request, how the relief funds would be distributed, as well as budget documentation, board member listing, revenue sources, contributors, etc.

As directed by the Town Council, a Community Support Fund Committee will be established tasked with reviewing applications and allocating the funds. The committee will consist of two Town Council members, the Town Manager, Finance Director, Economic Development Director and other town staff as deemed necessary.

The $500,000 will be included in the second reading of the budget supplemental ordinance scheduled for the April 7 Town Council meeting.

Other external resources available to both individuals and businesses are included on the town’s COVID-19 resource page at www.vailgov.com/COVID-19, including federal and state stimulus programs and unemployment benefits that may be available to help individuals with rent or mortgage, utilities and household supplies. Eagle County has a link to many resources as well.

Tuesday’s agenda also includes important updates on the town’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, including a public safety overview from the police and fire departments, event planning updates and a discussion on the schedule for future meetings.