Members of a committee charged with disbursing county grant money to flood-damaged businesses will spend the next two weeks visiting affected businesses before presenting their findings to the Haywood County Economic Development Commission.

After the report is given to the EDC, the recommendations will be presented to the county commissioners at their Dec. 20 meeting. The grants will be awarded on a case-by-case basis, according to EDC Executive Director Mark Clasby.

The committee met last week to establish guidelines and criteria for the grant program that was recently approved by the Haywood County Board of Commissioners.

“The committee decided which businesses each committee member would visit during the next two weeks,” said Clasby. “The committee members will substantiate the application information turned in by the businesses for the grant monies and verify additional information gained by visiting each business.”

The Business Recovery Assistance Subcommitees members include Virginia Gribble, the manager of the Employment Security Commission and an EDC board member; CeCe Hipps, the executive director of the Haywood County Chamber of Commerce; Sharron Donnahoe, the coordinator of the Haywood Community College Small Business Center; Cheryl Meyers, the administrative assistant to the EDC; and Clasby.

The grant amounts will be decided based on several factors including, but not limited to, the number of employees, needed assistance, and tax value of the business.

Any business owner affected by the flood that would like additional information about the grants should call 828.456.3737