14 Downtown Columbia businesses receive grant money to purchase security cameras
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
Columbia's Downtown Community Improvement District awarded 14 business reimbursements for security cameras purchased totaling $30,000.
According to Nickie Davis with the Downtown CID the applications for the grant were supposed to be open until the end of July. However, the applications closed early as all of the grant money was awarded to those who applied.
Davis said the application process was on a first come first serve basis, businesses that did not receive the funding are now on a waitlist.
Davis said the process was easy, and only required applicants to submit a receipt for their cameras and CID would reimburse them up to $2,000.
Downtown Columbia Businesses awarded the grant funding include.
- Lofts at 308 9th
- Lofts on Broadway
- MyHouse
- Deline Holdings
- Kampai Sushi Bar
- Shortwave Coffee, both locations
- Boone Olive Oil
- LUX Hospitality
- Eclipse Catering and Events
- Walnut Market
- DogMaster
- Cherry Street Cellar
- Cafe Poland
- Frist Presbyterian Chruch
"Our purview is to help our businesses with safety," Davis said. "Not only their employees but the customers as well."
"You know, it's always nice to be able to have, you know, footage of things that might happen during a normal business day or business night," Davis said. "A couple of years ago, we had some incidents with windows being broken. So with this, hopefully, will help take care of a lot of those situations in a more timely manner, and help their businesses and their employees feel a little bit more safe."
"The camera grant is a major help to bring downtown businesses up to date with the latest technology," said Munir Mohammad, who is the owner of Boone Olive Oil Co. and Shortwave Coffee .
Shortwave Coffee has two locations, and all three businesses were awarded funding.
"The additional cameras downtown will help deter crime and also help our local community by keeping our employees and customers safe," Mohammad said.
While the application process is closed now, Davis said, "Go ahead and let us know that you're interested is the best way to do it, and we would recheck with you when the grant does reopen."
There is still no set time for the application process to reopen at this time. However, Davis said she believes it will either be later this year or in the next fiscal year.
