The Middletown Press (Middletown, CT)
More important than ever to support local businesses
MIDDLETOWN — March has turned to April in Middlesex County and across our great nation. These continue to be tough times for the business community and for the community at large as we all grapple with the fallout from the Covid-19 situation.
I continue to be very inspired and proud of the efforts of my chamber team, and by the strong and continued leadership of our public officials during this crisis. From our local leaders on the municipal level in Middlesex County, to our governor and legislative delegation at the state level, and to our partners at the federal level, everyone is stepping up to do whatever they can to be a constructive partner during this difficult period.
I am also very proud of the resilience and the faith being shown by our membership at this time. While everyone is impacted in some way, we are seeing countless examples of individuals stepping up and offering help of some kind, in some way, and we are seeing it every day.
We are so grateful for the efforts of Vin Capece and his amazing team at Middlesex Health. They, along with our first responders, are true professionals, and they are doing remarkable work on the front lines of this crisis in our region.
The outstanding staff at the chamber continues to provide top- level service to our membership at a time when it is needed the most. The chamber remains operational, and has transitioned to video conference meetings for the near future. Last week featured well-run and productive meetings of our Portland and East Hampton Division, Environment and Infrastructure Committee, Central Business Bureau, and Chester, Deep River and Essex Division. I appreciate all of the support of our members who are jumping onto these important online meetings and calls.
On Wednesday afternoon, we were honored to be joined for a special Zoom meeting with U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, who did a great job breaking down the Coronavirus Aid Relief and Economic Security Act, better known as the CARES Act, and he provided some important insight for our members into which programs might be most appropriate for them and for their industry sector.
I very much appreciate the fact that he took the time out to visit with our members during this tough time for all of us. The senator’s staff recorded the conversation and has sent it to our staff. It is available on the chamber website if you are interested.
The meeting was led by our Chairman Don DeVivo and Legislative Committee Co-Chairman Rich Carella, who both did an excellent job steering the conversation.
The chamber is holding another Zoom meeting Monday with U.S. Congressman Joe Courtney, who represents Connecticut’s 2nd congressional district. We plan to follow the same format as the meeting with Sen. Blumenthal, and look forward to another productive discussion for the benefit of our members. I also thank Congressman Courtney for his willingness to join us, and for staying in constant touch with our team.
Sticking with the Zoom theme for a moment, a very productive webinar was held last Friday afternoon featuring Jim Jackson, CT Small Business Development counselor, who went over in detail the many small business relief options that are available through the U.S. Small Business Administration. He was able to cut through some of the confusion and answered important questions about the difference between disaster loans, PPP Loans, EIDL, how to access relief if you are an existing SBA borrower, how to access professional business counseling during this crisis, and best practices for the application process.
Jim is an excellent resource that we are fortunate to have in Middlesex County, and I appreciate his continued hard work in support of his clients and of the entire business community in our region.
This week is sure to be another busy one for the chamber team and for our membership. It kicks off on Monday with a Zoom Executive Committee meeting led by our Chairman Don DeVivo. The Executive Committee features a variety of business and community leaders from a number of industry sectors. This meeting will feature an update from key chamber members and staff, along with a breakdown of our efforts to support the business community through this crisis. We look forward another productive meeting, and I thank our members for hanging in there with us.
The second installment of the chamber’s new Tuesday Tips campaign is coming up this week. It provides critical information from the legal community via informative webinars. This week’s session on the CARES Act will be led by retired judge Robert Holzberg, and three of his partners from Pullman and Comley.
“The CARES Act in Bite Size Portions” will focus on providing practical answers to the three most frequently asked questions about the federal package:
• Is my business eligible for assistance under the Paycheck Protection Program?
• What does my business need to know about unemployment and family leave policies?
• What are my obligations to workers who have Covid-19 or whose family members are sick?
Tuesday Tips will alternate on a weekly basis between Pullman and Comley and Updike, Kelly & Spellacy, two outstanding members of ours from the legal field. We are grateful to both firms for their support of this initiative, and of our chamber.
This week features also virtual meetings of our LEAD CT Steering Committee, Durham and Middlefield Division, Cromwell Division, Health Care
Council Steering Committee, and Real Estate Council. The chamber will continue to deliver for our members, and we will all get through this together.
I continue to urge our members to hang in there, and to lean on the chamber and other resources available to you, or will become available to you in the coming days. Just a reminder that if you visit the chamber’s website, you can access the Coronavirus Tool Kit, which includes a survey which will help us help you, along with a number of resources which we will be updating on a regular basis as more information becomes available.
We have also created a social media campaign which allows our members to share the creative ideas they are employing to stay operational and helpful to their fellow community members during this period. Please connect with the chamber’s “Shout It Out!” campaign, and let us know what you are up to.
This is a tough time for all industry sectors, but particularly for our area restaurants, many of whom are staying open for takeout orders. The chamber website has a section dedicated to promoting the restaurants that are open for business at this time. This information is also available through our social media platforms.
Please support them if you are able to do so safely. It is also a good time, if you are able, to support the local business community through the purchase of gift cards. All businesses, large and small, are part of the fabric of this community. It is time to come together to support each other so we can weather this storm and come back strong.
If you need anything at all, please contact the chamber office for support. Thank you, and be well. The sun always shines in Middlesex County!
For information, visit middlesexchamber.com.
Larry McHugh is president of the Middlesex County Chamber of Commerce in Middletown.