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Health Department The Health Department has requested an additional $791,541 allocation for COVID-19 related expenses for January — June 2021 in order to complete their current fiscal year expenses. This request includes 10 Information Clerk positions to assist with mass vaccinations, 5 Nurses to support case investigation and mass vaccinations, as well as 4 800MHz radios, ultra cold freezers, and existing staff salary to support the mass vaccination process. The Health Department has also requested that their annual contract be amended to reflect this change. Funding through June has been requested by the Health Department in order to secure necessary personnel as well as funding for essential items that may not be received by March. Staff supports this request. Other Healthcare Providers At this time, Treasure Coast Community Health (TCCH) is not requesting additional funding for 2021 expenses. TCCH has however volunteered to be a point of distribution with the Health Department for the vaccine. In the event staff time is incurred as a result of vaccination distribution, TCCH may request funding at a later date. Staff has been in contact with Whole Family Health, which has been providing testing to County residents throughout the pandemic. They are currently providing testing Monday through Saturday. There are no out-of-pocket costs for the patient for the tests. Whole Family Health has estimated costs of $80,280 for the next three months. Staff supports this request which will help Whole Family Health continue to provide these testing services going forward. Economic Development As the pandemic carries on, local small businesses continue to experience negative financial impacts as a result. Originally, $750,000 had been awarded by the County to the small business grant program, with an additional $120,000 contributed by the City of Vero Beach's CARES Act allocation to be awarded in $5,000 increments. As of December 28, 2020, $713,400 has been awarded under this program. Currently, eligible businesses included those primarily in the hospitality industry, businesses that were affected by the ban on large gatherings, businesses that were subject to full or partial closure and other miscellaneous businesses that may be tourism or hospitality related. Not included were businesses such as auto repair, various types of construction industries, realtors, medical businesses, and vacation rental businesses just as an example. Staff has earmarked an additional $1.5 M towards the small business grant program. During the December 1, 2020 BCC meeting, the Board discussed potential changes to the program such as increasing the funding amount available to small businesses. Staff recommends increasing the funding amount from $5,000 to $10,000 and allowing businesses that already received funding to be eligible for the full $10,000 grant. Additionally, staff is seeking Board direction as to whether the Board wishes to expand the existing program to businesses that did not previously qualify for funding. Staff has received requests to fund non-medical aesthetic services such as tattoo parlors and small family farms, and is recommending adding these as eligible businesses to the program. Staff is seeking further direction on whether the Board wishes to approve funding decorator services or vacation rentals as these industries have sought funding but were not originally included as eligible businesses. The small business grant application has been included as an attachment to this agenda item which includes a listing ,of currently eligible businesses. If the 132