Atlanta City Council working on recovery fund to help small businesses face water crisis

ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) – Atlanta leaders are working on a recovery fund to help small businesses that were impacted by recent water main breaks.

Councilman Matt Westmoreland, with the support of the City Council and Mayor Andre Dickens, introduced a bill providing a recovery fund of up to $5 million. Westmoreland said he has heard stories from many business owners who have had to slow down or stop operations.

“It’s all about their employees,” he said. “When a restaurant or other store has to close for a period of time, employees who otherwise would have been working are not and we want to help where we can.”

City leaders are still ironing out the details to determine who is eligible and how much money to provide. According to Westmoreland, the city would transfer the $5 million in municipal funds to the city’s economic development authority, Invest Atlanta, which would then distribute the grants.

“We will sort out all these details, including the amount of the grant,” he said. “Personally, I think between $15,000 and $20,000. I think this will help cover a decent sized small business.

Westmoreland expects the council to pass its recovery fund legislation at its next meeting on June 17.

Bruce Hagen, an attorney in Decatur, said there are options business owners can use in a crisis like this. Hagen said taking legal action is an option, but a tricky and time-consuming one. Hagen suggested filing a claim with insurance, especially if a business is covered under “business interruption,” as well as signing up for any city assistance.

“I recommend consulting with an attorney and talking to an attorney, because even if you’re only dealing with an insurance company, it can be a tricky issue,” Hagen said. “Most insurance companies don’t just hand over money. But in my experience, if you have the right kind of insurance and present a strong claim to the company, it’s a much quicker way to get relief than relying on a lawsuit against the city.

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