Lakewood Township will be receiving $27.3 million in aid from the federal government as part of the latest coronavirus relief package, and local officials are eager to maximize those funds to help struggling Lakewood residents and businesses. 

“Our top priority is to help those who were the most negatively affected by Covid-19, both businesses and individual people,” Mayor Ray Coles told TLS. “But how exactly we can distribute those funds is still up in the air and we are still awaiting federal guidelines.”

While guidelines from the federal government detailing how the local financial assistance funds can be used have been mostly vague and delayed, the federal government has made it clear that it cannot be used to avoid raising municipal taxes.

“Thankfully, through the hard work of everyone working in the Township we were able to avoid raising taxes this year, so the aid was not needed for that regardless,” Mayor Coles said. “But we are still impatiently waiting for how we will be allowed to use these funds so that we can work on a plan to maximize every dollar.

“It’s heartbreaking to see and hear about how many families and businesses in Lakewood have been hit by so many troubles as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. I am happy and excited to hopefully be able to offer at least some reprieve to people who have been hurt over the past year.”