- General Conversation Topic: Aaron Water (Rayne Technology)
- Key Industry Topics: See list below
- Next Week’s Topic: Gary Cursio (MCHA) and Frank Geisler (MPCC) – Third Party Food Delivery Fees
Business Roundtable – 1/12/2021 – 10:00am
MISSION: success in two stages of the Coronavirus threat:
1) response to the immediate threat; 2) economic recovery when the threat diminishes
Recap
Response to immediate threat
1. Health Care. The COUNTY OF MONTEREY sent an email circulating among a wider audience than intended, and CHOMP has been inundated with vaccination requests from the public; their immediate task – with other County hospitals – is only to provide vaccines to health care workers (occupational proof required); CHOMP counts 66 COVID patients following ramifications of the holidays.
2. City of Monterey. Monterey Business Forum: Webinar on Limits on 3rd Party Food Delivery Fees will be held on Wednesday January 20, 2021 at 10:00am; input is important to the Council to discuss possible emergency ordinance imposing a 15% cap instead of current 30% on fees by service providers.
3. Hospitality & Tourism. Activity greatly reduced; comeback campaign is worked on for Spring/Summer 2021.
4. Agriculture. Vaccine distributions is planned via clinics, ahead of farmworkers returning from Yuma; “isolation housing” reportedly successful in Imperial Valley, CA and Yuma, AZ.
5. Retail. Activity greatly reduced.
6. State of California. Governor Newsom under public and political pressure to improve State’s management of vaccine distribution; statistics on COVID-19 need more accuracy; legislature back in session; budget proposal includes more stimulus to jump-start economy (see attached).
7. Financial, SBA, Loans & Grants. State of California Small Business COVID-19 Relief Grant program: deadline to apply is January 13, 2021 at 11:59pm; New PPP first round targeted at “underserved” business that did not receive PPP loans last year; applications must go through a Community Development Financial Institution; second round available through participating financial institutions – possibly next week 1/20/2021; EIDL is operational still.
8. General Conversation: Is cybersecurity a danger at the present time? A review and analysis by Aaron Waters, President of Rayne Technology Solutions. Need good stewardship of our data; after slow ramp-up to normal, cybersecurity is rising in importance both in scope, cost and impact; overseas State-sponsored hackers have tools and software providing access to millions of computers around the world; small businesses will also feel the impact, especially with remote workers with data in the cloud and/or with limited access to IT advice; reach to Aaron@RayneTech.com for further questions.
Next teleconference will be held Tuesday 1/19/2021 at 10:00am
