Small businesses all across the region held their collective breath headed into Friday’s updated guidance from Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer. Anticipation was matched by anxiety on multiple fronts ahead of her planned revisit of the shelter in place order of last month.
The good news following the Governor’s revised “Stay Home, Stay Safe” order has allowed many across Southwest Michigan to breathe a major sigh of relief today, but perhaps none more so than the region’s premier business advocate: The Southwest Michigan Regional Chamber.
Earlier today, Governor Whitmer issued her revised “Stay Home, Stay Safe” order which extends the state’s shelter-in-place directive to May 15th. However, it also allowed for the re-opening of several professions in the process. Most notably, landscapers, lawn care companies, and plant nurseries can now return to work, subject to strict-social distancing guidelines. Additionally, retailers that do not sell “essential goods” may reopen for curbside pick-up and delivery. Big box stores can reopen “closed areas,” like garden centers. The measure immediately replaces the one that was scheduled to expire next week.
Chamber President, Arthur Havlicek, says, “This news could not have come at a more critical time for Southwest Michigan,” explaining that, “Businesses within our region have been eager to prove they can operate safely while still implementing safe social distancing practices. For many, these new workplace protocols have been in place from the start. They are ready to resume earning a livelihood while simultaneously protecting the lives of their fellow Michiganders.”
Following the “Stay Home, Stay Safe” order announced on April 9th, the Southwest Michigan Regional Chamber joined fellow-business organizations across the state in advocating for a revised shutdown strategy. Specifically, they called for a more “measured approach” where the state would move away from the essential vs. non-essential lens and instead adopt a “safe vs. unsafe” strategy based on data and industry best practices. Shortly thereafter, they announced a Government Affairs team dedicated to getting Michigan back-to-work. They have also held regular virtual meetings with business owners to discuss the shutdown’s impact on their profession and share strategies to safely resume operations.
Havlicek, saying Michigan is not out of the woods when it comes to the health and economic crises we face, pledged those virtual meetings and advocacy efforts would continue. He cautions, “Businesses that re-open must do their part to slow the spread of this disease so that more sectors of our economy can get off the sidelines. Consumer confidence must return. Financial assistance programs must be targeted, fair, and effective. Recovery policies must keep the long-term financial health of our state and communities in mind.”
Havlicek concludes, “Throughout all this, you can count on the Southwest Michigan Regional Chamber to provide the resources and advocacy needed to place our local economy back on the pathway to prosperity.”
The Southwest Michigan Regional Chamber is a member-driven organization encouraging the growth of business through networking, advocacy, visibility and benefits for all members. Established in 1954, they represent more than 700 members from throughout southwest Michigan and have local offices in downtown St. Joseph and Bridgman. You can find them online at www.smrchamber.com.
