By Richard Dyer
Twitter: @RHDyer

A total of 975 Queen Creek and 169 San Tan Valley businesses received federal Paycheck Protection Program loans by July, documents show, ranging from $474 up to, potentially, $2 million.

Those in the municipality can also apply for Town of Queen Creek funding of $12,500 each to offset the costs of safety measures due to COVID-19 concerns, while the Pinal County Board of Supervisors recently voted to approve up to $30,000 for businesses in unincorporated areas, which include San Tan Valley.

What are PPP loans?

The Paycheck Protection Program --- which had a deadline of Aug. 8 --- was a loan designed to provide a direct incentive for small businesses to keep their workers on the payroll, according to sba.gov.

SBA said it would forgive loans if all employee retention criteria were met and the funds were used for eligible expenses.

Businesses could apply through a SBA 7(a) lender or through a federally insured depository institution, federally insured credit union and Farm Credit System institution that was participating. Other regulated lenders were to be available to make the loans once they were approved and enrolled in the program.

The following entities affected by COVID-19 may be eligible, according to the SBA, including:

• Any small business concern that meets SBA’s size standards --- either the industry based sized standard or the alternative size standard.
• Sole proprietors, independent contractors and self-employed persons.
• Any business with a North American Industry Classification System code that begins with 72 (Accommodations and Food Services) that has more than one physical location and employs fewer than 500 per location.
• Any business, 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, 501(c)19 veterans organization or tribal business concern of the Small Business Act with the greater of 500 employees or that meets the SBA industry size standard if more than 500.

Who received loans in San Tan Valley?

San Tan Valley had 20 businesses that received $150,000 to $2 million from a Paycheck Protection Program loan.

In the category of less than $150,000, a total of 149 San Tan Valley businesses received $604 on the low end to $150,000, according to the SBA, for ZIP code 85143, which includes some Queen Creek areas.

Below are the loans of $150,000 to $2 million by amount; name of the business; address; NAICS code; business type; jobs retained; date approved (if listed); and the lender. North American Industry Classification System codes have been changed with searches from https://www.naics.com:

$1 million-$2 Million:

• Westar Environmental LLC; 42818 N. Murphy Ave; Landscaping Services; Limited Liability Company; 160; April 9; Horizon Community Bank.

$350,000-$1 million:

• Southwest Rock Products LLC; 85 W. Combs Road Ste 101; Construction Sand and Gravel Mining; Limited Liability Company; 86; 4April 6; BOKF.

$150,000-$350,000:

• Abood Chiropractic Center Inc., dba Nutrimost Solon or Solon Spine and W; 36279 N. Climbing Vine Drive; Subchapter S Corporation; 19; May 1; JPMorgan Chase Bank.
• All Rock Supply Inc.; 39353 N. Schnepf Road; Other Building Material Dealers; Corporation; 22; May 1; Kabbage Inc.
• AZ Spa Movers LLC; 27978 N. Granite Ave.; General Freight Trucking, Local; Limited Liability Company; 12; April 28; Desert Financial FCU, dba Desert Financial CU.
• Bowman Concrete Inc; 1492 W. Lenora Way; Poured Concrete Foundation and Structure Contractors; Corporation; 22; April 11; Horizon Community Bank.
• Essential Therapy Solutions LLC; 31645 N. Royal Oak Way; Other Personal Care Services; Limited Liability Company; 41; June 5; Bank of America.
• Hill Family Dentistry; 36359 N. Gantzel Road Ste 101; Offices of Dentists; Corporation; not listed; May 3; Wells Fargo Bank.
• Inbalance Pt LLC; 36397 N. Gantzel Road Suite 102; Offices of Physical, Occupational and Speech Therapists and Audiologists; Limited Liability Company; 6; May 1; JPMorgan Chase Bank.
• Johnson Ranch Tire and Auto LLC; 1360 W. Hunt Highway; Tire Dealers; Limited Liability Company; 0; April 7; Live Oak Banking Company.
• Kendall, Sturtz, Whitsell LLC; 140 W. Ocotillo Road; Full-Service Restaurants; Partnership; 49; April 7; Cedar Rapids Bank and Trust Company.
• Kids Learning Centers Ocotillo LLC; 41060 N. Ironwood Drive; Child Day Care Services; Subchapter S Corporation; 35; April 6; Western Alliance Bank.
• Moreno’s Mexican Grill Number Four LLC; 85 W. Combs Road Ste 104; Full-Service Restaurants; Limited Liability Company; 35; May 1; JPMorgan Chase Bank.
• Premier Construction Corporation; 899 W. Daniel Road; Commercial and Institutional Building Construction; Subchapter S Corporation; 23; April 15; Zions Bank.
• Reeds Crew Services Inc; 3291 E. Combs Road; Plumbing, Heating and Air-Conditioning Contractors; Corporation; not listed; May 3; Wells Fargo Bank.
• San Tan Animal Hospital LLC; 31661 N. Attaway Road; Other Personal Care Services; Limited Liability Company; 37; 5May 1; JPMorgan Chase Bank.
• San Tan Tire And Auto LLC; 40421 N. Gantzel Road; Automotive Body, Paint and Interior Repair and Maintenance; Limited Liability Company; 0; April 11; Live Oak Banking Company.
• Severtson Corp.; 41502 N. Schnepf Road; New Single-Family Housing Construction (except For-Sale Builders); Subchapter S Corporation; 26; April 29; Harvest Small Business Finance LLC.
• Swing First Golf LLC; 30761 N. Golf Club Drive; Golf Courses and Country Clubs; Limited Liability Company; 25; April 6; Metro Phoenix Bank.
• The Regional Pain Institute LLC; 36453 N. Gantzel Roa Ste 102; Offices of Physicians (except Mental Health Specialists); Limited Liability Company; 13; April 8; Western Alliance Bank.

Pinal County program

A program to assist unincorporated Pinal County businesses struggling with the effects of COVID-19 was recently reopened and extended.

The Pinal County Business Sustainability Program allows a cumulative maximum allocation not to exceed $30,000, the Pinal County Board of Supervisors approved unanimously 4-0 at a special session Aug. 12, with Supervisor Todd House, District 5, absent.

Qualifying expense periods are Aug. 12-Oct. 17, 2020. For full details about the program, contact the ARIZONA@WORK One-Stop Office in Casa Grande at 520-866-3600.

Businesses in unincorporated Pinal County could previously apply for a one-time reimbursement of up to $15,000 for rent, mortgage and/or utilities expenses for a three-month period. Qualifying expense periods were either March-May 2020 or April-June 2020.

The county accepted 135 applications June 15-July 15, of which 64 qualified businesses received assistance, totaling about $529,000, Joel Millman, workforce development program manager at ARIZONA@WORK Pinal County, said to the supervisors.

“We’re looking at a round 2... We have the team poised and ready to go,” he said. “(T)he infrastructure is already in place as far as the website, the application... If nothing were to change, we could probably relaunch that program by the end of the week.”

As of Aug 14, the website used in round 1 was not active; it is pinalcountyaz.gov/PINAL-WORKS/BRC/Pages/BusinessSustainabilityProgram.aspx.

If a company received up to $15,000 in the first round, it can reapply for an additional $15,000 for a different period, Mr. Millman said to the supervisors.

In the first round, businesses could receive money for rent through a mortgage or a lease; or utilities, such as for phones, Internet, electricity and gas, he said.

“And the first round was pretty straightforward, just keeping it to those. So those are what we focused on,” he said.

Chairman Anthony Smith, District 4, asked if Mr. Millman received any feedback from businesses regarding areas that the county was missing.

“That’s a great question. In my interaction with some of the businesses that had inquired, I recalled one of all of those applicants; one was just requesting assistance in outside, whether it was their marketing-type activities or other outside of the parameters of which we had set. But other than that, I don’t recall any other businesses asking for other areas,” Mr. Millman said.

Vice Chairman Pete Rios, District 1, said a Pinal County staff member had suggested businesses be able to use the money for insurance.

“Because they have to pay insurance on the building or if they have commercial vehicles because they deliver they have to pay the insurance on that,” he said. “How do we know that if they wanted to, they didn’t use it to pay for vehicle insurance or building insurance?”

On the application the business attests to elements on the use of the funds, Mr. Millman said.

“We’re only funding to the documentation provided,” he said. “The documentation that is received is analyzed by an internal team here to ensure that we’re only allocating to what qualifies for the program.”

Supervisor Mike Goodman, District 2, who said he was contacted by a Florence business, asked how city or town CARES Act funds are used vs. what Pinal County is doing for businesses outside municipalities.

“A business in a municipality is just as important as a business that is in an unincorporated area. However, we’ve received allocation for the unincorporated area; the cities have received allocation for them. So help me --- how does all of that work in conjunction with what we’re doing?” he asked.

“It’s a wide range of different programs that the other cities have implemented. Queen Creek, as you know, has a program; they’ve got some different requests. They’re not only looking at utilities, but they have a little different version,” Pinal County Manager Louis Andersen said. “The City of Casa Grande has a program; they kind of modeled it after ours, I believe, and it’s got a lot of the same features. The City of Apache Junction has a very similar program, but it’s a less dollar amount they had.”

County Manager Andersen favors focusing Pinal County funds in unincorporated areas.

“I recommended that we try to stay away from supporting the cities because they do have some allocation and they know their cities a little bit more in-depth, but if that’s something that this board wanted to do, that would be up to the board if they wanted to try to incorporate into some of the cities,” he said.

Who received loans in Queen Creek?

Queen Creek had 59 businesses that received $150,000 to $2 million from a Paycheck Protection Program loan.

In the category of less than $150,000, a total 916 Queen Creek businesses received $474 on the low end to $150,000, according to the SBA, in the ZIP codes of 85140 and 85142, which include some Mesa and unincorporated county areas.

Below are the loans of $150,000 to $2 million by amount; name of the business; address; NAICS code; business type; jobs retained; date approved (if listed); and the lender:

$1 million-$2 million:

• Arizona CLA Landscape LLC; 20556 E. Pecan Lane; Landscape Architectural Services; Subchapter S Corporation; 195; April 30; Cache Valley Bank.
• BLUCOR Contracting Inc; 21738 E. Orion Way; Site Preparation Contractors; Corporation; 0; June 23; Wells Fargo Bank.
• Metris LLC; 16803 E. Hunt Highway; All Other Professional, Scientific and Technical Services; Limited Liability Company; 117; April 9; BNC National Bank.

$350,000-$1 million:

• All About Speech LLC; 22424 S. Ellsworth Loop; Offices of Physicians (except Mental Health Specialists); Limited Liability Company; not listed; June 23; Celtic Bank Corporation.
• Arizona Cla Dp LLC; 20556 E. Pecan Lane; Residential Remodelers; Sole Proprietorship; 53; April 15; Readycap Lending LLC.
• Arizona Metro Mix LLC; 18477 S. 186th Way Suite 103; Ready-Mix Concrete Manufacturing; Limited Liability Company; 60; April 5; Weststar Bank.
• Aviation Performance Solutions LLC; 5803 S. Sossaman Road 104; All Other Professional, Scientific and Technical Services; Limited Liability Company; 33; April 5; BOKF.
• Canyon State Academy Inc; 20061 E. Rittenhouse Road; All Other Miscellaneous Schools and Instruction; Non-Profit Organization; 104; April 13; Midfirst Bank.
• CJ Sanz Inc; 18521 E. Queen Creek Road Ste 105-185; Limited-Service Restaurants; Subchapter S Corporation; 250; April 14; Zions Bank.
• Complete Fire Protection Inc; 22230 S. Scotland Court; Plumbing, Heating and Air-Conditioning Contractors; Corporation; 15; April 7; Western Alliance Bank.
• Day Auto Supply Incorporated; 18705 Business Park Drive; Automotive Parts and Accessories Stores; Subchapter S Corporation; 61; April 9; Truist Bank, dba Branch Banking and Trust Co.
• Del Piero LLC; 25062 S. Meridian Road; Fats and Oils Refining and Blending; Limited Liability Company; 55; April 8; Western State Bank.
• Desert Horizon Nursery Inc.; 19250 S. Ellsworth Road; Nursery, Garden Center and Farm Supply Stores; Subchapter S Corporation; 42; May 1; JPMorgan Chase Bank.
• Emerald City Medical Staffing Inc.; 6240 Tacoma Mall Blvd. Ste 315; Employment Placement Agencies; Subchapter S Corporation; 90; April 8; Mountain America FCU.
• Heeringa Construction LLC; 18521 E. Queen Creek Road No. 105-481; Commercial and Institutional Building Construction; Subchapter S Corporation; not listed; April 9; Great Western Bank.
• Lenz Enterprises LLC; 7839 S. 170th St.; Offices of Chiropractors; Limited Liability Company; 256; April 28; Bell Bank.
• Network Automotive Service Centers; 20871 Rittenhouse Road; General Automotive Repair; Subchapter S Corporation; 41; April 7; Western State Bank.
• Rock Point Church; 18530 E. San Tan Blvd Ste 109; Religious Organizations; Corporation; 72; April 16; JPMorgan Chase Bank.
• Rodeo QCC Inc.; 35747 N. Ellsworth Road; New Car Dealers; Corporation; 72; April 9; JPMorgan Chase Bank.
• Sun Solar LLC; 19631 E. Via Park St.; Other Building Material Dealers; Limited Liability Company; 68; May 3; Bank of America.
• Sundance Landscape Maintenance Inc.; 18607 E. San Tan Blvd; Janitorial Services; Subchapter S Corporation; 90; May 1; JPMorgan Chase Bank.
• The Flats LLC; 6185 W. Hunt Highway; All Other Support Services; Limited Liability Company; 62; May 1; JPMorgan Chase Bank.
• True Up Companies LLC; 18521 E. Queen Creek Road Suite No. 105-443; Commercial and Institutional Building Construction; Subchapter S Corporation; 79; April 29; MidFirst Bank.
• White and White Contracting LLC; 19637 E. Oriole Way; Electrical Contractors and Other Wiring Installation Contractors; Limited Liability Company; 64; April 15; Horizon Community Bank.
• Zion Compassion Care LLC; 3560 W. Mesquite Ave; Religious Organizations; Limited Liability Company; 0; May 1; JPMorgan Chase Bank.

$150,000-$350,000:

• 2 Eleven LLC; 7205 S. Power Road; Full-Service Restaurants; Limited Liability Company; 29; April 10; Midfirst Bank.
• 2B Claim Services Inc; 22424 S. Ellsworth Loop Rd Unit 1970; Claims Adjusting; Corporation; 32; April 30; Bank of America.
• ABP Electrical Systems; 3441 E. Augusta Court; Electrical Contractors and Other Wiring Installation Contractors; Subchapter S Corporation; 35; April 14; BOKF.
• Accent on Family Care Services LLC; 19322 E. Calle De Flores; Child Day Care Services; Limited Liability Company; 70; May 3; Bank of America.
• Bellwether Corporation; 18521 E. Queen Creek Road Suite 105-507; Convention and Trade Show Organizers; Corporation; 10; April 7; Western State Bank.
• Beos LLC; 20311 E. Stonecrest Drive; Residential Remodelers; Limited Liability Company; 48; April 30; JPMorgan Chase Bank.
• Central Arizona Civil Construction Company; 19637 E. Oriole Way; Water and Sewer Line and Related Structures Construction; Corporation; 45; April 16; Cross River Bank.
• CLMT Enterprises PLLC; 24433 S. 201st Court; Offices of Dentists; Subchapter S Corporation; 31; April 27; Fund-Ex Solutions Group LLC.
• Custom Desert Landscape LLC; 22632 Ellsworth Road; Landscaping Services; Limited Liability Company; 25; April 15; BMO Harris Bank National Association.
• Edgerton Transportation Inc.; 1637 W. Green Tree Drive; All Other Support Activities for Transportation; Subchapter S Corporation; 35; May 1; JPMorgan Chase Bank.
• Elevated Energy Solutions; 20232 E. Stonecrest Drive; Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services; Limited Liability Company; 20; April 27; First International Bank & Trust.
• F7 Medical LLC; 21321 E. Ocotillo Road Suites 133, 134; Offices of Physicians (except Mental Health Specialists); Subchapter S Corporation; not listed; April 9; Great Western Bank.
• JP and Sons Contracting Inc; 18937 E. Via Del Verde; Electrical Contractors and Other Wiring Installation Contractors; Subchapter S Corporation; 15; April 28; Notre Dame FCU.
• JP Catz Inc; 18521 E. Queen Creek Road 105-185; Limited-Service Restaurants; Subchapter S Corporation; 55; April 13; Zions Bank.
• Judgebuilt Pro. Fab. Maintenance LLC; 19824 Camacho Road E; Janitorial Services; Limited Liability Company; 27; May 3; U.S. Bank.
• Kietek International Inc; 22380 S. Scotland Court; Other Direct Selling Establishments; Corporation; 15; April 6; Western State Bank.
• Leading Edge Academy Queen Creek; 4815 W. Hunt Highway; Educational Support Services; Corporation; 5; May 1; JPMorgan Chase Bank.
• Mountain View Church Ministries; 4815 W. Hunt Highway; Religious Organizations; Corporation; 21; May 1; JPMorgan Chase Bank.
• Nobody’s Perfect Inc.; 18911 E. San Tan Blvd. Suite 101; Other Individual and Family Services; Corporation; 64; May 1; JPMorgan Chase Bank.
• Old Ellsworth Brewing Company LLC; 22005 S. Ellsworth Road; Food Product Machinery Manufacturing; Limited Liability Company; 32; April 27; Accion.
• P. W. Feenstra Construction Inc.; 18521 E. Queen Creek Road Suite 105-480; All Other Specialty Trade Contractors; Subchapter S Corporation; 20; April 15; Midfirst Bank.
• Positive Aba LLC; 20148 E. Camacho Road; Other Management Consulting Services; Limited Liability Company; 15; May 1; JPMorgan Chase Bank.
• Premier Appliance Install LLC; 40563 N. Friend Ave.; Major Household Appliance Manufacturing; Limited Liability Company; 18; April 16; Cross River Bank.
• Preventive Pest Control Mesa LLC; 18570 S. 186th Way Suite No. 101; Exterminating and Pest Control Services; Limited Liability Company; 24; April 12; Cross River Bank.
• Quadris Team LLC; 21775 E. Twin Acres Drive; Other Management Consulting Services; Corporation; 26; April 30; Mountain America FCU.
• R-N-R Steel LLC; 7534 W. Dove Roost Road; 238120; Limited Liability Company; 17; May 1; JPMorgan Chase Bank.
• RBH Construction LLC; 26509 S. Hawes Road; New Single-Family Housing Construction (except For-Sale Builders); Limited Liability Company; 17; April 28; MidFirst Bank.
• S and J Grading Inc.; 21633 S. Meridian Road Unit 1; Site Preparation Contractors; Corporation; 2; April 27; Celtic Bank Corporation.
• San Tan Auto Body LLC; 18415 E. San Tan Blvd.; Automotive Body, Paint and Interior Repair and Maintenance; Subchapter S Corporation; 22; April 12; Midfirst Bank.
• • Sandchise Inc; 21143 S. Rittenhouse Road; All Other Personal Services; Corporation; not listed; April 27; Celtic Bank Corporation.
• Staple 3 Construction LLC; 22632 Ellsworth Road; All Other Miscellaneous Store Retailers (except Tobacco Stores); Limited Liability Company; 34; May 3; BMO Harris Bank National Association.
• Sweeney Plastering, LlLC; 19244 E. Rosa Road; Drywall and Insulation Contractors; Limited Liability Company; 40; April 28; Zions Bank.
• The Dental Center of Queen Creek PC; 18610 E. Rittenhouse Road Suite A103, Bldg A Suite 103; Offices of Dentists; Corporation; 16; April 14; Midfirst Bank.
• Uncle Bears at Ocotillo LLC; 21151 E. Rittenhouse Road; Full-Service Restaurants; Limited Liability Company; 50; April 10; BBVA USA.

Town of Queen Creek program

Small businesses in Queen Creek can apply for up to $12,500 each to offset the costs of safety measures due to COVID-19 concerns.

The town will reimburse or help offset the costs to small businesses for expenses related to enhanced sanitization, employee safety and customer safety,.

A total of $500,000 has been set aside for the grant program. Funds will be distributed based on the number of full-time-equivalent workers the business employed on March 1. Businesses can begin applying on Monday, July 20, by going to InvestTheQC.com/Together.

To qualify for funds, the owner must certify that they are a “small business” as defined by the Small Business Act and they have implemented a program of sanitation and safety.

Richard Dyer
Managing Editor | East Valley
@RHDyer

rdyer@iniusa.org

Richard Dyer has worked at Independent Newsmedia, Inc.. USA, since 1987. Since 2009, he has worked as a volunteer to design The Blue Guitar Magazine, Blue Guitar Jr. magazine and Unstrung magazine, which are projects of The Arizona Consortium for the Arts; and since 2014, has been overseeing the art submissions. He also is an artist of welded-steel sculptures, selling his artwork at juried and non-juried art shows