HOWELL – A recently formed township economic taskforce to address coronavirus impacts on local businesses is making progress.
Councilman Thomas Russo gave an update on the taskforce during a recent council meeting. The purpose of the group is to tackle the economic issues that have come up due to the pandemic.
“This team’s sole mission is to do everything we can to help bring our local economy back and better than ever,” Russo said previously.
Taskforce members include Jeffrey Basset, owner of the Howell Chick Fil-A, Steve Friedman, owner of ProCare Rehabilitation, Howell chiropractor Dr. Dan Cardellicho, Thomas Comer, president of the Howell Chamber of Commerce, William Stahnten, vice president of Certified Auto Mall, Howell Planning Board member Robert Seaman and Councilwoman Pamela Richmond.
The taskforce has met a few times, Russo said. Taskforce meetings are open to the public.
The councilman called the meetings productive and he was proud of the Taskforce’s membership made up of township business owners “and everyone who took part.”
“It is kind of a think tank. Thank you Joe (Clark the township attorney) for playing a huge part in this. We are recommending that we have something that shows that our businesses are complying with (Center for Disease Control) standards,” Russo said.
Taskforce Proposes Standards Sticker
Basset suggested that each township business place a window sticker stating that their business was in compliance with the Center for Disease Control (CDC) requirements.
A placard has been placed inside Basset’s Chick-Fil-A restaurant stating employees have their temperature taken and they clean their hands.
“One of the reasons people are a bit apprehensive about going to a restaurant is that they want to know that they are clean and that the businesses are using the proper cleaning products, are adhering to social distancing, wearing masks when they are cooking food or talking to customers; so we want to show the public they are in compliance with the CDC and that is in the works right now,” Russo said.
“The idea is that the public would see this and know they weren’t walking into this potential area of exposure,” Clark said, adding that such signs send out a message to the public that customers and other business operators would use as that as a guide.
Clark said the Chick Fil-A model states that when an employee comes in, they clean their hands, what cleaning products are used to sanitize surfaces and other protective measures are taken.
The attorney also noted that that any safety protocols would be set by the Monmouth County Board of Health who oversees health standards. “We aren’t establishing any protocols of our own because obviously we can’t do that. The county Board of Health administers the health standards.”
“We just want as part of the taskforce to give them something to point out to the public that we are all in this together and this is what we are doing to keep you safe,” Clark added.
“Who would be responsible for that? The Dept. of Health? Who would validate it? Mayor Theresa Berger asked. She liked the idea of a window sticker featuring that information but feared “people sometimes get lax” on the stated protocols.
“They can if they’d like to pick up a window sticker from here in town hall and put it in their window. We would be supplying the sticker,” Russo said.
It was discussed whether a business could put up a sticker but not really be following guidelines.
Clark added there was an honor system involved “and we want to be careful. We don’t want people holding themselves to standards that they aren’t. We are discussing this. We have the Chamber working on it and we are working amongst ourselves to see what the best way to make this happen. It is one of the ideas we are putting forward to help people get back on their feet.”
Deputy Mayor Evelynn O’Donnell said “we don’t monitor this. The Board of Health does it and should a complaint come in it goes to the Board of Health. I think that the standards that businesses use prior to COVID were regulated by the Board of Health.”
She noted that the stickers would be cost free to the township as she had heard of an offer to provide them as a matter of good will.
It was noted that the Howell Chamber of Commerce may be stepping up to provide the stickers and distributing them. “There are some working parts but we are trying to move as quickly as we can,” Clark added.
Pamphlet To Be Produced
Russo added that another complication for business operators is that “there is so much information coming out and it is always changing rapidly. He noted that Councilman John Bonevich had volunteered to help in developing an information pamphlet that is for business owners and managers “that lets you know what grants are available, what programs are available and if they can apply. This is a pdf that will have to be on the fly and easily amendable.”
Bonevich added, “we’ll try to do something electronic” noting anything printed would quickly become obsolete.
Gyms, Dance Studios Not Forgotten
Russo said that the taskforce was also working to bring more awareness to gym operators what options they have. He said they have now been made aware of “what they can do in terms of our outdoor ordinance and some have complied. Some have signed up and were approved I believe within 24 hours.”
Use of parks in the township to accommodate businesses that don’t have enough outside space for operations of their business are also be considered and Clark said policy is being drafted regarding that.
“I wanted to be able to tell some of our smaller businesses that don’t have the space that they could offer classes that could be taken in a park,” Councilwoman Pamela Richmond said.
There are some liability issues “but it probably isn’t an instant no for them. We will put our heads together and see how we can make it happen.”
