Business View Civil and Municipal | Volume 3, Issue 3

141 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 3, ISSUE 3 PEACHTREE CORNERS , GEORGI A they are in the best position to decide how this money should be used to keep them in business.” As a city of innovators, some even saw the pandemic as an opportunity, rather than a curse, when it came to starting their own small businesses. “Some companies have gone out of business, some have relocated, but in their place others have taken advantage of unusual times with low interest rates and other incentives to start a company. We’ve seen some unique changes based on COVID,” Johnson says. A significant change was in the hotel sector. The pandemic has altered business travel, potentially a lot of permitting of outdoor renovation for permanent, expanded outdoor amenities or more drive-throughs, or just some of the things that COVID has forced those companies to do to survive,” Johnson says. “The city did little things to help out, but they add up. We’ve also done some big things.” That includes putting federal money directly into the hands of for-profit and non-profit organizations. Johnson acknowledges, “We could have put it to good use as well, but the Mayor and Council here felt like putting a significant amount of the money – a majority – into the hands of direct organizations is better, because