Good afternoon,

I'd like to thank everyone who took the time to fill out the form we created to share the current operating status of businesses with the public. While it is not the prerogative of the MDDA to police businesses, we feel that many businesses are taking liberties beyond Governor Gretchen Whitmer's "essential business" status, specifically point four under the State of Michigan Executive Order 2020-21 (COVID-19), which reads:

No person or entity shall operate a business or conduct operations that require workers to leave their homes or places of residence except to the extent that those workers are necessary to sustain or protect life or to conduct minimum basic operations.

It is our understanding that non-essential local deliveries would be included in this restriction. While we understand this mandatory closure will be devastating to many businesses, this order has been put in place to protect human lives. Failure to comply with this executive order may result in a misdemeanor, fines, or jail time.

Businesses deemed essential by the above cited executive order:
  • Health and public safety
  • Child care
  • Law enforcement and first responders
  • Food and agriculture
  • Energy
  • Water and waste management such as trash pickup, plumbing services
  • Manufactures providing essential services during the pandemic
  • Funeral home and mortuary services
  • Transportation and logistics
  • Those supporting food, shelter and other social services for the needy
  • Public works
  • Communications, including those in media 
  • Critical manufacturing
  • Financial services
  • Hazardous materials
  • Defense industrial base
  • Workers at key supply and distribution centers

If you would like to reevaluate your business' status during this time, please fill out the form at the link below. I will be making updates to the business list and re-publishing it mid-day on Wednesday, March 25.


Thank you and stay safe,

Tara Laase-McKinney
Promotions and Events Coordinator
Marquette Downtown Development Authority
(906) 228-9475