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Submitted by City of Tenino

At their second “virtual” City Council Meeting this past Tuesday night, The Tenino City Council approved two Ordinances that Mayor Wayne Fournier’s administration had been preparing in order address the needs of Tenino’s Citizens and Business Community that have been adversely affected by the COVID-19 emergency measures put in place by the federal, state, and local governments.

“We envision a kind of three-legged stool” says Mayor Fournier.  “The first leg is a re-direction of funds from our established “Façade Improvement Grant” program in favor of a one-time grant to Tenino Food Bank Plus, who has been doing yeoman’s work ensuring those in need have food on the table.  They’ve really been able to accomplish a lot with their current facilities, which have always been in need of improvement; and while they have been successful in getting some help, they really need an infusion of cash to bring their plans to fruition.  This grant will kick-start their improvement program, which will better serve our Community.”

Clerk/Treasurer John Millard explains a more complicated arrangement for the second leg, that has an historical precedent:  The use of wooden scrip, similar to Tenino’s “Great Depression” era Wooden Money.  “It’s simple in concept, but there are a lot of moving pieces that we have work out in order to satisfy both legal and fiscal requirements before we can actually implement the program,” he says.  Basically, the City will commission the Tenino Depot Museum to produce scrip, manufactured from rolled cedar, using the same equipment used to produce the City’s famous wooden money in 1931 and 1932.  Participation in the program is limited to Tenino residents and Tenino businesses.  The City has developed an application form that is based on the federal government’s ”Poverty Guidelines,” commonly known as the Federal Poverty Level, or “FPL.”   Applicants meeting both the residency and FPL guidelines are eligible to receive the wooden scrip, which may be redeemed at participating businesses within the City Limits.  While the scrip has no intrinsic cash value, businesses treat the scrip the same as currency, but instead of depositing the scrip into the bank, the scrip is redeemed by the City, which then issues a check to each business participating in the program.  Millard says, “it’s really more like coupons, but scrip may be used for any product or service normally offered by the businesses here in town.”  The only limitations on the scrip are that they may not be exchanged for cash, businesses may only give a maximum of $0.99 in change, and they can’t be used to purchase alcoholic beverages, cannabis products, or tobacco products.  This program is designed to provide direct relief to those who have been most severely impacted by the COVID-19 emergency measures, and indirect relief to the Tenino business community by requiring the scrip to be spent at Tenino businesses.  The programs has already received approval from the City Attorney, but the program must be reviewed by the State Auditor’s Office before the program can be implemented.  The City is hoping the State Auditor’s Office will approve the program this week.  If they do, the program will be implemented immediately.

The third leg is conceptual at this point, but involves making “small business loans” available to those businesses in Tenino who do not qualify for an existing COVID-19 grant program administered by the federal, state, or other local government agency.  “We know Tenino will be receiving $25,000.00 in federal COVID-19 Relief Funds,” says Fournier.  “Because the Washington Constitution’s prohibition on the gifting of public funds is aimed directly at preventing businesses, particularly large corporations, from receiving unfair advantages, this program is a bit trickier and is taking longer to put together.”

To the observer of Tenino’s recent activities, however, it seems there is no doubt that the “Stone City” possesses that unique combination of leadership, competence, and determination to do the things they set out to do.

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