Wednesday July 22, 2020
Hello Chamber Members and Partners,

Here are the latest updates and resources for businesses and employees during this uncertain time.

Send us any questions or updates you may have. We are here to help provide information, connect the dots and assure those in the North Country that we will get through this together.

Onward and Be Well!
Governor Cuomo announced today that 10 additional states meet the metrics to qualify for the travel advisory requiring individuals who have traveled to New York from those states, all of which have significant community spread, to quarantine for 14 days.

The newly-added states are:
  • Alaska
  • Delaware
  • Indiana
  • Maryland
  • Missouri
  • Montana
  • North Dakota
  • Nebraska
  • Virginia
  • Washington

Minnesota has been removed.

This brings the total to 31 states. A full list can be found here .
CHAMBER CALLS FOR ADIRONDACK CELL SERVICE PROGRESS AS MAJOR LESSON OF THE PANDEMIC
The North Country Chamber of Commerce has joined with Adirondack local governments and other partners in calling upon the Adirondack Park Agency for an urgent and comprehensive review of its cell tower policies and guidelines, aimed at supporting higher towers and other measures to substantially close cell phone service gaps in the region.

   "Once thought of as a matter of convenience," the Chamber states in a recent letter to the APA, "21st century communications such as cell service have now been proven to be essential to daily life, from access to health care and education to crucial access to employment via distance and to timely information. Add the huge challenges ahead in rebuilding the region's tourism economy -- which will continue to be more and more dependent on such communication access -- and then the consensus that community sustainability is dependent on attracting younger residents who in turn are dependent on basic daily services such as cell phones and we are at an historic crossroads calling out for reassessment and updating of APA policies."
CUOMO: RESTAURANTS, BARS COULD BE CLOSED UNLESS VIOLATIONS CEASE
Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo threatened to roll back the phased reopening by closing down bars and restaurants if social-distancing rules aren't adhered to more strictly.

"One of the main threats to our progress is the number of congregations that we're seeing across the state, but especially in downstate, primarily of young people," Cuomo said. "And we saw it again over the weekend. It is a problem, and I'm telling you in plain New York-speak that it's stupid and it has to stop. ... These restaurants and bars are breaking the law and they are going to make it bad for everyone else, because if this continues we're going to have to roll back the reopening plan and close all bars and restaurants."

The Gov also announced that several liquor licenses were revoked over the weekend due to these violations.

Restaurant guidelines can be found here .
Press Release can be found here .
UP-TO-DATE GUIDANCE ON FOOD SERVICE REQUIREMENT FOR BARS
Bars and restaurants should check on the latest guidance from the State Liquor Authority regarding mandated food sales accompanying alcohol sales. Included are Questions & Answers.
SUPPORTING BLACK EMPLOYEES WEBINAR
THURSDAY, JULY 30TH - 1:00PM

The  North Country Chamber of Commerce  is pleased to co-sponsor this timely webinar for North Country employers, organized by SUNY Plattsburgh.

Description:

Inclusive work environments for Black employees don't just happen, they are intentionally created!  Participants will learn how to create inclusive workplace cultures that enable Black employees to thrive.They will leave the webinar with concrete activities and action steps to transform their company climates.

Date:  Thursday, July 30th
Time:  1:00PM-2:30PM
 
Key Takeaways:

  • Find out how to monitor your company's culture and address structural inequalities
  • Develop measurable action steps that can be enacted right away 
  • Learn about creating equitable recruitment, retention and mentoring plans

Panelists:


Moderated by:

  • Dr. Michelle Cromwell, VP of Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion, SUNY Plattsburgh
DOWNTOWN MONTREAL IS A GHOST TOWN WAITING TO BE REVIVED
COVID-19 and the construction boom that’s closed much of central Montreal to traffic couldn’t have come at a worse time for local merchants. Not only did the lockdown transform downtown into a ghost town, it pushed hundreds of businesses to the brink.

Though Labour Minister Jean Boulet recently said the Quebec government would allow office workers to  return to work  — at a maximum 25 per cent of capacity — starting Saturday, many business owners fear the ramp-up will be too slow to let them erase four months of heavy losses.

“Twenty-five per cent will help but it won’t be enough,” said Gopinath Jeyabalaratnam, economic and governmental affairs adviser at the Canadian Federation of Independent Business in Montreal. “The long-term survival of many businesses is a concern. We are worried.”
QUICK LINKS:

  • Forward NY: Official State Website for opening procedures and guidelines.

  • Looking for Supplies: If your business is looking for hard to find protective products, we have created a list of businesses offering hand sanitizer, gloves, wipes, masks and other items.


  • Now Hiring: Whether you are hiring or looking for work, we have a page dedicated to helping pair potential employees with employers.

  • Webinars: Did you miss one of our webinars, you can find them all here.

  • SCORE: Visit Scores Coronavirus page for webinars and useful articles for small businesses.
To help the North Country reopen safely and meet the state and local mandates, The North Country Chamber of Commerce has created a comprehensive list of resources to navigate state and local requirements. Check out the home page for details. There is also a series of webinars available for businesses to help educate and provide answers to common questions.
Have Questions? We're here to help!

North Country Chamber of Commerce
518.563.1000