Letter: POA not eligible for restaurant fund

Editor, The Friday Flyer 

Recently The Friday Flyer published a letter from a Canyon Lake resident under the erroneous headline “More relief funds available for POA.” The author detailed his efforts to get POA staff to apply for federal government money from the recently-announced Restaurant Revitalization Fund (RRF) in connection with POA’s two restaurants, which he noted are “heavily subsidized’ by POA dues. And there is no doubt that the latter is true. After an apparent communication failure between the author and POA staff on the status of the loan application, the author pontificates “POA seems to think it is not required to answer requests from homeowners who are footing the costs.”

The facts surrounding the application for a RRF grant are these: The Fund was created by the passage of the American Rescue Act in March. It authorized $28.6 billion in grants to the struggling restaurant industry, administered by the SBA through an application program. Soon after the announcement, POA financial personnel began researching POA eligibility for the grant program. I know this is true, because it was me who contacted POA financial folks.  Like the letter author, I sensed an opportunity.

However, eligibility for a grant includes a calculation which requires taking into consideration PPP funds previously disbursed. Having already received a PPP loan, the POA was thus ineligible, and an application for a RRF grant was not submitted.

I have lived in Canyon Lake for five years and have heard my fair share of POA “horror stories” about mismanagement, poor communication, boondoggle projects, double-dealing and fraud in days gone by.   But from what I see now, I truly believe those days are in the rear-view mirror. It’s very easy to complain about things today that are based on perceptions from a tainted history. I urge the people of Canyon Lake to take a more civil and informed approach to dealing with the POA before haphazardly lashing out.

Greg Doherty, POA Finance Committee

Letters to the Editor are an opportunity for residents to voice opinions and comment on city, POA and other community issues. Letters are limited to 300 words and one signature per letter. Neighbor/customer disputes or testimonials, letters directed to other persons and political letters directed toward an opponent will not be printed. Readers are reminded information presented as “fact” may not be factual; and if anyone has a question, they are urged to contact the appropriate POA, City of Canyon Lake, Canyon Lake Police Department or other entity to receive a clearer understanding of the issue. Letters should be emailed to news@goldingpublications.com or submitted at fridayflyer.com and click on Submit News/Photos. Deadlines are Tuesdays at noon.