Detroit resident Bee Brown who runs her own PR agency said she was online as soon as possible to apply for the money. At 10 a.m. she was number 13,271 in the queue. Brown said she waited another hour, but had to get out of the queue and couldn’t request the money on Tuesday.
“I understand the process, but the fear was the mention that it was on a ‘first-in’ basis,” said Brown. “I think the waiting process is what triggers intimidation and what might lead some people to not even try to apply. The money is for entrepreneurs, so if we sit in a line and take the time from the moment we could work is to beat the target. “
President Brian Calley of the Small Business Association of Michigan said on Tuesday that he had heard from some SBAM members how frustrating the application process was. Calley, whose organization has more than 28,000 member companies, said it is difficult to expect the financial problems of small businesses to be solved at the state level.
“That’s one of the reasons we’ve put so much of our attention and focus on a federal aid package,” Calley said. “The magnitude of small business needs is not realistic for a state to cope with.
“I think the state should do what they can. In this particular case, the grants were available to a wide variety of companies. The potential pool of applicants is very, very large. I think the main message here is that there is no real way is to make up for the closure of companies. “
Calley said the most important thing government officials can do is provide small business owners with a safe reopening plan when the state-mandated closing of bars, restaurants, bowling alleys, movie theaters and casinos in Detroit ends on Sunday. He said the state cannot in any way compensate for the loss of sales, revenue and livelihoods associated with the “hiatus” that began on November 18.
Martinson, who opened the Chelsea business in 2012, said its sales are about 80 percent of the pre-pandemic. She said she supports the measures taken by Governor Gretchen Whitmer and the state health service and believes the lack of federal leadership during the pandemic has put businesses and individuals in a bad position.
Calley said he and other small business officials have been watching the numbers closely as they cover positive coronavirus tests and hospital admissions and believes it is warranted to scale back business restrictions due to trends and numbers heading in the right direction.
“There is no process of involvement or negotiation with the Department of Health and Human Services,” said Calley. “We advocate that the restrictions are reduced from Sunday, when the current order expires. We know that the main order, including the mask mandate and many non-closing order requirements, will still be extended, but we hope without the mandatory closings of restaurants and other businesses. “
Martinson said the pandemic and the necessary security measures were frustrating, but understands that the health of the population is “… if not more important than the health of a business.”
“We are willing to wait for things and enter water until we can open safely.”
– Crain’s reporter Nick Manes contributed to this report.