Springfield Chamber
COVID-19 Bulletin
May 8, 2020
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As we begin preparations to move into Phase One of reopening our economy, I sense a growing resolve within our business community. These past few weeks have been tough and filled with uncertainty and we thank you for remaining strong. Your ingenuity and problem-solving has given us heart. Seeing how businesses have adapted, makes us proud to represent you. Now, together with state and local leaders, we prepare to get back to business. We cannot thank our frontline employees enough - grocers, healthcare workers, production, distribution, transportation, and many more for putting their wellbeing on the line to keep our community functioning.
As plans to reopen Oregon businesses emerge, we ask you to keep an eye on opportunities to stay connected, informed, and engaged. Continue to watch for communications from us with updates to Phase 1 timelines, preparations and plans. Our
COVID-19 Business Resource hub
is still your go-to resource for the most up to date information and our
Advocacy and Elections Page
can catch you up on local elections.
Stay healthy. Stay strong. And remember, we’re still just a phone call away.
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-Vonnie Mikkelsen, President and CEO
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Business Bootcamp LIVE
Wednesday May 13, Wednesday May 20, & Wednesday May 27
Virtual Zoom Webinars - FREE for Members
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Join The Springfield Chamber ONLINE
for Session 1 of Business Boot Camp next week!
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SESSION 1:
Wednesday, May 13
How to Reopen: Tips for relaunching your business in a changing world
Session one will feature Robert Killen, Director of the Lane Small Business Development Center. As Oregon businesses prepare to reopen this spring and summer, join us next week for a presentation and a question and answer session as we all plan for the future.
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Education & Talent Development
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Upcoming Education Meetings
May 21st, 4:30pm - 5:30pm
If you would like to join this committee meeting or if you have any questions please email our Director of Development and Talent Initiatives Paige Sharpe (
paige@springfield-chamber.org
)
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In a press briefing yesterday, Governor Kate Brown announced additional details for the Phase I reopening of Oregon.
The Governor will begin accepting applications for reopening counties on May 8th. Counties must meet certain criteria to reopen, including:
1. Declining COVID-19 prevalence
2. Minimum Testing Regimen
3. Contact Tracing System
4. Isolation Facilities
5. Finalize Statewide Sector Guidelines
6. Sufficient Healthcare Capacity
7. Sufficient PPE Supply
Should counties meet the prerequisites, they can enter into Phase I reopening on May 15th. After 21 days in Phase I, counties continuing to meet the prerequisites may be able to enter Phase II.
We've compiled a list of relevant links related to Reopening Oregon, including a document from the Goernor's office, Lane County's blueprint for reopening, guidelines by sector and category, and more. You can locate them under the tab "Reopening Oregon" in our Business Resource Hub COVID-19:
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*Keep an eye out early next week for our reopening guide, a resource we're developing in partnership with the Eugene Area Chamber of Commerce to help you navigate the reopening of your business.
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COVID-19 CARES Act Updates
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Watch the latest US Chamber + Inc. National Town Hall for more information
on how small businesses can begin to think about reopening and the latest on the CARES Act and PPP loans:
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Watch the latest short video update from Robert Killen, Director of Lane Small Business Development Center (SBDC), with Updates and Rumors on PPP and EIDL:
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The Oregon Employment Department is providing unemployment benefits through the CARES Act Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) program. In preparation, the agency has recruited and trained staff to process PUA claims. Please access the PUA application and certification forms on the CARES Act section of the Employment Department’s COVID-19 web page:
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IRS information (English & Spanish) for taxpayers, businesses, tax-exempt organizations, and others who need information about Coronavirus tax relief and economic impact payments:
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PPP loans, EIDL advances, SBA loan subsidies not subject to CAT!
The Oregon Department of Revenue has determined that certain federal assistance to businesses under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act is not commercial activity under Oregon statute and will not be subject to the Corporate Activity Tax.
The exempt assistance includes forgiven Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans, Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) advances, and Small Business Administration (SBA) loan subsidies. More information can be found in the
Beyond the FAQ
section of the CAT page on the department's
website.
Bipartisan Legislation Introduced to Allow 501(c)6 organizations to Apply for PPP Loans
Representatives Chris Pappas (D-NH-01), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA-01), Gil Cisneros (D-CA-39), and Greg Steube (R-FL-17)
introduced bipartisan legislation
(H.R. 6697) to ensure local chambers of commerce and other nonprofits who support small businesses-and who are not currently eligible for the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP)-can receive the federal assistance they need to navigate the devastating economic downturn of the COVID-19 pandemic.
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In Your Words
Oregon Businesses Respond to COVID-19
Local Chambers of Commerce have collected nearly 200 personal stories from Oregon businesses and non-profits that have been adversely impacted by the COVID-19 crisis. These local businesses shared their challenges accessing federal stimulus dollars, impacts to their workforce, and issues they anticipate in reopening when the "Stay Home, Stay Safe" order is eventually lifted.
The stories being collected are part of an effort by the Oregon State Chamber of Commerce to collect unfiltered and real feedback from local businesses to help policymakers both understand what's happening to local businesses and adopt policies that hit the mark in helping with recovery.
Governor Kate Brown recently announced that she is considering a sector-specific strategy to reopen Oregon. The Governor and state legislature needs to hear from impacted businesses today to secure the support they need to reopen and recover.
Share your story by taking the survey below.
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COVID-19 Business Impact Survey Results
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Last month, we asked you to participate in a survey from Business Oregon, in partnership with Travel Oregon and Small Business Development Centers, to help assess how COVID-19 is impacting businesses. Information gathered by this survey is vital to policy-makers who are working to provide assistance to businesses during this crisis. See the results from the Survey below.
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Legislative Advocacy
Your Business. Your Community. Your Voice.
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Government Issues & Economic Development Committees
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As the COVID-19 response continues to move rapidly at the local, state, and federal levels, we have moved our Government Issues Committee meetings to a weekly occurrence. We invite you to join us 8am Tuesday mornings via Zoom to stay on top of local, regional, and state issues of impact on business and community.
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Upcoming Government Issues Committee Meetings
Tuesday, May 12th, 8:00am, Zoom Conference
Next week the Chamber's Government Issues and Economic Development Committees will host a discussion on COVID-19 response and reopening efforts with Lane County Commissioner Joe Berney and County Administrator Steve Mokrohisky. Please note that participation is limited to the first 100 participants to join for this program. If you are unable to join, a recording of the presentation will be available on our
COVID-19 business resource hub
.
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Member Continuity and Relief Options
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We are deeply appreciative of our members’ support to the Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce, and grateful for the sacrifices you’ve made to protect the health of our community, employees, and families during these unprecedented times.
Many of our members who are feeling the greatest impacts are the same local small businesses and non-profit organizations that have and will define us as a community. We are very aware of the overwhelmingly difficult decisions you may be facing. We are equally aware of the financial burdens.
To this end, we’ve established multiple COVID-19 member continuity and relief options that we think you’ll find of value, including the Membership Match Program, sponsored by Oregon Community Credit Union. If you have any questions about our COVID-19 member continuity and relief options, please reach out to our Member Services team at
max@springfield-chamber.org
.
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Update Your Chamber Listing
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We're in the works making our
2020-2021 Springfield Magazine + Directory!
We ask that you please check if your listed Membership Information is correct for inclusion in the directory portion of our print magazine:
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Please login to your member account if you'd like to make any changes to your primary representative, address, phone numbers, emails or website:
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The Chamber Community has been stepping up, leaning in, making tough decisions, surviving, innovating, hiring, pivoting, and is deserving of support and acknowledgment. Check out some of these important updates from our Chamber members:
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In partnership with the state,
University of Oregon
is installing a machine that will decontaminate N95 respirator masks, allowing the critical personal protective equipment to be used up to 20 times by frontline health care workers!
The decontamination unit is coming to Oregon courtesy of the U.S. government and to the Eugene campus through an agreement with the state and the university, which will house the unit.
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For the next couple of weeks
Cornucopia
will be doing extreme, deep cleans at all their locations; then beginning Monday, May 18th, they'll be offering Online Ordering for Delivery and Curbside Pickup from their Main Street in Springfield and 5th Street location in Eugene!
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Kaiser Permanente Northwest
opened their new Chase Gardens Medical Office. Located at 360 S. Garden Way in Eugene, the new, state-of-the-art medical office provides Lane County members greater access to primary care and additional onsite services!
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During these uncertain times, we recognize the strength and resiliency of the Springfield Chamber community. Thank you to those who have shared your story. To all our members, please help us share yours. Contact Elora Kelsh,
elora@springfield-chamber.org
for more information.
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BLUECHIP: No One’s Immune
As business community’s needs surge, chambers of commerce dig in, reach out, forge ahead. Even in the thick of the COVID-19 pandemic there’s room for irony among the staff at some of Lane County’s area chambers of commerce.
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Retool U.S. Supply Chains to Address Weaknesses Exposed by New Coronavirus
U.S. economic policymakers need to heed the
fast-accumulating warning signs
as
the global coronavirus outbreak
exposes weaknesses
in supply chains crucial to American economic well-being. As these weaknesses come to light, U.S. policymakers and supply chain managers should take the opportunity to reduce the fragility of the global supply chains that provide the products and services that Americans rely on every day for their health, their jobs, and their overall economic prosperity.
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COVID-19 Impact on Corporate Location Decisions
An uptick in on-shoring especially in the pharmaceutical and life science industries, a dwindling demand for office real estate as technology allows more remote work, and guarded optimism that corporate location decisions will resume in late 2020 or 2021 were among major findings of the Site Selectors Guild’s survey on the impact of COVID-19.
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Friday COVID-19 Bulletin | Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce
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