Pandemic brings cash to Charlestown

More than $10 million to local government and businesses

By Will Collette

Channel 12 graphic

The one bright spot that has emerged from the suffering of the COVID pandemic is an affirmation that Americans will help each other out. 

No thanks to Trump or his Trumplicans, Congressional Democrats and now President Biden have seen to it that at least some help has come to many of the hardest hit.

In addition to a total of $2.3 million in direct aid to the town of Charlestown, Charlestown businesses put in for forgivable loans for small business relief totaling $4,947,023.

Five Charlestown restaurants also received another $3,320,432 in COVID relief under the Restaurant Revitalization Fund, a part of Joe Biden’s American Rescue Plan.

The Nordic is, of course, the Nordic Lodge. Birdmar Enterprises is the Cove. MGMR is the Meadowbrook Inn.

That’s more than $10.5 million in pandemic aid to Charlestown’s local government and businesses. It does not include unemployment benefits paid to the self-employed and gig workers nor the enhanced unemployment payments to most of those put out of their jobs by the pandemic.

Charlestown's largest recipient of federal pandemic aid is the Nordic Lodge at $3,010,251. Their $2.6 million grant from the restaurant fund is the second highest in the state, second only to renowned chicken joint Wright's Farm in Burrillville.

The second largest Charlestown recipient is Arrowhead Dental which has given all comers free dental work on its "Dentistry with a Heart" days that earned them Charlestown's first "Local Hero" award.

I’m not going to venture an opinion on whether all of these businesses were, as former CCA leader Dan Slattery used to put it “truly deserving.” Some of these businesses’ owners hold some pretty hard-core conservative political views, the kind that condemn the very programs that granted them this money. 

The money they asked for and received came almost entirely through the good graces of Democrats – with virtually NO support from Republicans- a fact I hope they ponder.

However, keeping businesses alive and preserving jobs was and is a national priority, at least for Democrats, even if their owners are jerks.

Still no word on how the Town of Charlestown will spend its $2.3 million windfall, but I am pretty sure Charlestown Citizens Alliance leader and the town’s Planning Commissar Ruth Platner has a long shopping list of properties she wants to buy starting with this one.

Personally, I think that, at minimum, we use a small piece of that $2.3 million to establish a $1000 annual tax credit for Charlestown volunteer firefighters, especially since our fire companies are having a hard time finding recruits.

Finally, let's look at the tally of Charlestown businesses who received small business pandemic relief. 

Check here for a full, searchable database.

ARROWHEAD DENTAL ASSOCIATES INCORPORATED

• Charlestown, RI, 02813
• Approval amount: $732,342
• Jobs reported: 63

ARROWHEAD DENTAL ASSOCIATES INCORPORATED

• Charlestown, RI, 02813
• Approval amount: $732,300
• Jobs reported: 71
• Forgiveness amount: $739,887

SHELTER HARBOR GOLF CLUB

• Charlestown, RI, 02813
• Approval amount: $544,680
• Jobs reported: 60
• Forgiveness amount: $547,600

THE CHARLESTOWN RATHSKELLER TAVERN INC

• Charlestown, RI, 02813
• Approval amount: $476,311
• Jobs reported: 65

THE NORDIC INC. – The Nordic Inn

• Charlestown, RI, 02813
• Approval amount: $429,062
• Jobs reported: 65

OCEAN HOUSE MARINA INC.

• Charlestown, RI, 02813
• Approval amount: $330,500
• Jobs reported: 25
• Forgiveness amount: $332,336

THE NORDIC INC. the Nordic Lodge

• Charlestown, RI, 02813
• Approval amount: $306,472
• Jobs reported: 54
• Forgiveness amount: $301,277

H.D. RANDALL REALTORS INC.

• Charlestown, RI, 02813
• Approval amount: $291,900
• Jobs reported: 23
• Forgiveness amount: $295,078

CHARLESTOWN RATHSKELLER TAVERN, INC.

• Charlestown, RI, 02813
• Approval amount: $262,200
• Jobs reported: 65

RMJC LLC -  a.k.a. Mott & Chace Sotheby's International Realty

• Charlestown, RI, 02813
• Approval amount: $227,893
• Jobs reported: 17
• Forgiveness amount: $0

And also

LARLHAM LANDSCAPE CONSTRUCTION CO. INC, $190,585, 18 jobs

C & C INVESTMENTS, INC, a.k.a. Carl Johnson Design Build, $195.595, 14 jobs

STEDMAN & KAZOUNIS PLUMBING & HEATING CO INC, $227,183, 23 jobs