Mayor announces committee on economic recovery

...business as we know it, is not going to go back to normal for some time.” — Lorain Safety-Service Director Max Upton

Lorain Mayor Jack Bradley will consult with an Economic Recovery Committee for recommendations as city leaders look for ways to deal with the financial effects of the novel coronavirus.

On May 6, Safety-Service Director Max Upton announced the members and the hope to meet within the next week or so.

The goal is to convene a diverse group of stakeholders to advise and put forward recommendations to the mayor on an economic recovery, Upton said.

They will look at the city budget and advise the administration and City Council on dealing with immediate budget concerns and staffing, he said.

Like so many governments, businesses and families, it is difficult to deal with COVID-19 because no one knows the exact effects going forward, Upton said.

“We see those numbers that we could have 3,000 people dead a day in June, and it could last two years, and everything in between,” he said.

Many people desire to return to the time of about eight weeks ago, before the full brunt of the pandemic hit the United States, Upton said.

“The reality of the situation is that business as we know it, is not going to go back to normal for some time,” he said. “As an economy, what does Lorain’s new normal look like over the next few years and how do we move forward with that?”

The members are:

• Ben Norton, a Lorain community leader

• Radhika Reddy, developer of the Ariel Broadway Hotel

• Dotti Washington, financial secretary of UAW Local 2000 retiree board

• Ed Oley, CEO of Mercy Health

• Lisa Hutson, director of the Lorain County Small Business Development Center at Lorain County Community College

• Karen Shawver, city auditor

• Terri Soto, city treasurer

• Tom Brown, executive director of the Lorain Port Authority

• Mary Springowski, Lorain City Councilwomanat-large

• Rob McFarland, Ward 2 Councilman and chairman of Main Street Lorain’s Economic Development Committee.