City grant to pay for eight-week jobs

The city is going to be able to offer a limited number of summer jobs to help those who have lost income or employment as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

“We have an agreement with Three Rivers Planning and Development District to pay people for up to eight hours a day for eight weeks,” Mayor Tim Kent said. “The jobs will pay $15 an hour or up to 320 hours.”

Kent said this is federal money that is coming through Three Rivers, which operates the Gateway Workforce Services Program.

He did not know the number of people who could be funded but said, “It probably will be until the money runs out.”

The only requirement is that the applicant be 18 years old or older.

“It may be anything the city needs,” Kent said. “The work likely will include tasks such as picking up trash, helping the street department, landscaping or helping at BNA Bank Park,” although other needs may come up.

“I think the idea is this is for those displaced by COVID,” the mayor said, but that is not a requirement to get one of the jobs.

Kent said the city learned of the program from Three Rivers.

Anyone who wants to apply for one of these jobs can do so at City Hall or the Community Development Office in the former post office, which is now the welcome center.