With COVID-19 cases on the rise in Deschutes County and across the nation, the Bend City Council held a special meeting today on potential measures to slow the spread. Expect updates from me should any actions be made that could impact your business.
While we’re all fatigued by the restrictions on businesses and on our day to day lives, please keep up the great work you’re doing to protect your customers and employees. I continue to visit businesses throughout town and the amount of cost and effort involved in the changes you’ve made isn’t lost on me. If you need help securing PPE or have ideas on how the City can reduce burdens on local businesses, please let me know by hitting reply to this message.
Read on for information on a looming change to the City’s permitting system and an opportunity to participate in a local program aimed at helping small businesses take their efforts to the next level.
City Permitting Process to Pause for Launch of Online Permit Center
If you’ve filed for a permit with the City of Bend, you’re aware of the quirks and nuances associated with the current system. On December 14, 2020 the City’s new Online Permit Center will go live with upgraded features and functionality for a host of permits and licenses, including:
- Building and Engineering Permits
- Land Use Applications
- Business Registrations and Specialty Licenses
- Code Complaints Submissions
- Inspection Scheduling
- Special Event & Fire Requests
- SDC Estimates
- Documents and Agreements
From November 25 through December 11 permit activities will be limited as existing records are transitioned over to the new Online Permit Center software. The City of Bend will not be accepting new applications or payments, no permits will be issued and no plan reviews will be conducted during this time. Inspections will continue and there will be limited staff available for customer inquiries.
To prepare for this upcoming conversion period, please complete any existing applications, inspections and/or permits and pay any outstanding fees prior to November 25, 2020, to avoid project delays.
The best way to stay up-to-date on the new Online Permit Center is at bendoregon.gov/permitcenter. Content will continue to be posted on the conversion status along with upcoming trainings.
If your Business Registration will be up for renewal during this period, you can expect a separate message from me on how to move forward. If you do have a renewal that is up in the next month, your best bet will be to renew ahead of November 25 using our current system.
SBDC Small Business Management Program
The past eight months have presented numerous challenges for businesses, if you’re looking for help revamping your business model or planning for expansion, the Central Oregon Community College’s (COCC) Small Business Development Center is now accepting applications for its popular Small Business Management program.
This year-long program helped Andy Stearns with My Lucky House set the stage for what his business endured during the pandemic. Here’s Stearns’ take on his experience with the program:
“The information and concepts [the SBDC]has taught me over the past two years has been about having a plan for marketing, sales, customer service, while maintaining accurate financials, so we can evaluate where we are relative to where we are trying to go. This is all easier said than done in a “normal” business environment. Now apply a global pandemic, business shut downs and immediate demands to pivot to remote workforces. For many this was totally overwhelming and paralyzing….I feel like our business went into COVID with a plan and accurate financials based on a foundation that was built in our SBDC class. We quickly had to modify that plan and adjust our financials, but none of that would have been possible without first building the foundation.”
The Small Business Management program is open to Central Oregon businesses that are at least one year old with at least one employee. Cost is $999 and scholarships are available to eligible businesses. Classes start in February 2021 and will be held remotely; instructor approval is required for acceptance into the program.
For more information and an application form, call 541-383-7290, email sbdc@cocc.edu or visit cocc.edu/sbdc.
Thank you, as always, for doing business in Bend.
