THIS WEEKEND THE BAKER ADMINISTRATION ANNOUNCED A BAN
ON ON SITE CONSUMPTION AT BARS AND RESTAURANTS BUT ALLOWED THEM
TO STAY OPEN FOR TAKEOUT PURCHASES.
IN ADDITION HE INSTITUTED A BAN ON GATHERINGS OF MORE THAN 25
PEOPLE.
IN THE WAKE OF THIS, STORES LIKE YANKEE CANDLE AND ENTERTAINMENT
COMPLEXES LIKE BOUNCE TRAMPOLINE SPORTS, IN ADDITION TO THE MGM
CASINO, ARE CLOSING FOR THE PERIOD OF TIME.
ALL OF THIS WILL HAVE A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON THE LOCAL
ECONOMY.
CAROLEE MCGRATH SAT DOWN WITH RICK SULLIVAN, THE PRESIDENT AND
C.E.O.
OF THE WESTERN MASS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL, TO
LEARN MORE.
>> WHAT WE TALK ABOUT TODAY COULD CHANGE BY THE END OF THIS
TELECAST, SO IT IS VERY FAST MOVING, SO PEOPLE NEED TO BE
PAYING ATTENTION TO REALLY THE GOVERNMENT WEBSITES TO KNOW
WHAT'S GOING ON.
BUT FIRST AND FOREMOST IT'S OBVIOUSLY A HEALTH EMERGENCY
THAT PEOPLE SHOULD BE FOLLOWING THE HEALTH PROTOCOLS, BUT THERE
WILL BE SHORT AND POTENTIALLY LONG-TERM DRAGS ON THE ECONOMY
AND CERTAINLY IMPACTING SMALLER BUSINESSES IN PARTICULAR, BUT
BUSINESS IN GENERAL AS A RESULT OF THIS.
>> CERTAINLY RETAIL, BECAUSE THAT WAS A BIG THING THAT WAS
ANNOUNCED BY THE GOVERNOR ON SUNDAY.
AND RESTAURANTS AND BARS, THAT YOU CAN'T DINE IN, BUT YOU CAN
TAKE OUT.
THAT WILL BE A BIG HIT.
>> RIGHT.
PARTICULARLY WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE SMALLER RESTAURANTS,
THEY'RE ON VERY SMALL MARGINS AND THEY RELY ON THE CASH FLOW
AND NOW THAT CASH FLOW IS STARTING TO DRY UP.
YOU'RE STARTING TO SEE STATE GOVERNMENT IN PARTICULAR BUT
ALSO ORGANIZATIONS LIKE COMMON CAPITAL OFFER, YOU KNOW,
SHORT-TERM SMALLER BUSINESS LOANS TO BE ABLE TO HOPEFULLY
GET PEOPLE OVER THE HUMP.
I THINK THERE WILL BE ADDITIONAL PROGRAMS AS THIS MOVES ON AND TO
SEE THE IMPACTS TO GET PEOPLE THROUGH THE NEXT HOWEVER LONG
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
BUT IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S GOING TO CERTAINLY BE MONTHS.
I THINK PEOPLE SHOULD BE ENCOURAGED IF THEY'VE GOT THEIR
FAVORITE RESTAURANT OR SMALL BUSINESS AND FOLLOWING THE
PROTOCOLS THAT ARE SET OUT FOR HEALTH PURPOSES, THEY CAN DO
TAKEOUT OR BUY THE GIFT CARD, THEY SHOULD DO THAT TO HELP
THOSE SMALL BUSINESSES AND THOSE RESTAURANTS OUT.
>> A BIG PROBLEM OBVIOUSLY FOR WAITERS AND WAITRESSES IN THOSE
RESTAURANTS AS WELL, PLACES LIKE BOUNCE, WHICH IS AN
ENTERTAINMENT PLACE FOR KIDS, THOSE PLACES CLOSED AS WELL.
THOSE EMPLOYEES WILL BE SUFFERING.
>> SURE.
SO YOU'RE ALREADY SEEING, YOU KNOW, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND
THE STATE GOVERNMENT HAS ALREADY RELAXED ALL OF THE RULES AROUND
UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS, EVERYTHING FROM WHAT QUALIFIES
TO THE REQUIREMENTS FOR INDIVIDUALS THEY NO LONGER HAVE
TO PERSONALLY GO TO THE CENTERS TO DO THE REPORTING, THEY CAN DO
IT OVER THE PHONE.
THERE'S OTHER MECHANISMS IN PLACE.
BUT I WAS TALKING TO SOMEBODY YESTERDAY, THE STATE OF
MASSACHUSETTS IS SEEING 200 APPLICATIONS A DAY FOR
UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS AS A RESULTS.
SO IT IS GOING TO IMPACT FAMILIES, WHICH IS WHY YOU'RE
SEEING DISCUSSIONS.
SENATOR ROMNEY AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL TALKING ABOUT IS THERE A
WAY TO SEND PEOPLE A $1,000 CHECK TO GET THEM THROUGH THIS
TIME PERIOD SO THEY CAN PAY THEIR MORTGAGES AND RENT AND BUY
FOOD, BECAUSE IT IS GOING TO TRICKLE DOWN THE ECONOMIC FOOD
CHAIN.
>> DO YOU THINK THAT WILL HAPPEN, THAT WAS SOMETHING DONE
IN 2001, YOU THINK HE'LL GET MOMENTUM ON THAT?
>> I DON'T KNOW WHETHER HE'LL GET IT SPECIFICALLY ON THAT
PROPOSAL, BUT IT'S GOOD TO SEE THAT EVEN AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL
THEY'VE BEEN ABLE TO COME TOGETHER FOR A COVID-19 RESPONSE
SO THE HOUSE AND SENATE, AND LOOKS LIKE THE PRESIDENT WILL
SIGN IT.
THAT THEY'RE ABLE TO DEAL IN TIMES OF EMERGENCY GET TOGETHER
AND ACT ACCORDINGLY.
GOVERNOR BAKER HAS BEEN OUT FRONT HERE IN MASSACHUSETTS
DOING A GOOD JOB, TRYING TO GET AHEAD OF IT AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE,
SO I THINK THE FLOW OF INFORMATION HAS BEEN GOOD, AND
PEOPLE NEED TO GO NOT NECESSARILY JUST TO THE
INTERNET, THEY REALLY NEED TO GO TO THE FORMAL GOVERNMENT
WEBSITES TO GET THE BEST INFORMATION.
WE'RE LUCKY HERE IN WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS TO HAVE BAY STATE
AND TO HAVE MERCY THAT HAVE VERY PRO-ACTIVE WEBSITES THAT CAN
REALLY GIVE YOU THE BEST INFORMATION THAT'S RELIABLE AND
TRUE.
>> ONE OF THE MEASURES THAT THE STATE HAD PASSED, THEY APPROVED
A $10 MILLION SMALL BUSINESS LOAN FUND, THAT OBVIOUSLY IS
GOING TO BE SOMETHING NEEDED.
>> IT IS GOING TO BE NEEDED.
AND AGAIN IT'S VERY SIMILAR TO THE COMMON CAPITAL PROPOSAL
THAT'S OUT THERE WORKING WITH A NUMBER OF THE OTHER PARTNERS TO
BE ABLE TO ACCESS THAT IN THE SHORT RUN TO GET THE BUSINESSES
OVER THE HUMP ON THE REPAYMENT PROVISIONS ON THAT ARE ABOUT AS
FAVORABLE AS YOU CAN GET RIGHT NOW.
I WON'T BE SURPRISED IF THOSE PROGRAMS CONTINUE TO EVOLVE, YOU
KNOW, THERE'S GOING TO NEED TO BE MORE OF AN INFLUX OF MONEY IN
TERMS OF, PROBABLY NOT GOING TO BE ENOUGH BUT IT'S A GOOD START.
AND THERE'S A RECOGNITION THAT THIS WILL BE IMPACTFUL TO SMALL
BUSINESSES.
>> THIS JUST EVOLVED, ABOUT A WEEK AGO THE MAYOR OF HOLYOKE
ANNOUNCED THEY WERE SHUTTING DOWN THE ST.
PATRICK'S DAY PARADE AND ROAD RACE, WHICH WAS
SUPPOSED TO BE THIS WEEKEND AND HERE WE ARE ON ST.
PATRICK'S DAY.
I THINK AT THE TIME THERE WAS STILL A LOT OF SENTIMENT THAT
WAS LIKE REALLY?
ARE WE OVERREACTING?
THEN YOU SEE WHAT HAPPENED WITHIN THE NEXT FEW DAYS, AND
DAY BY DAY.
BUT THAT IS A HUGE HIT, OBVIOUSLY, TO HOLYOKE.
>> YES, IT CERTAINLY IS A BIG HIT.
IT'S A BIG EVENT FOR THEM, BOTH EMOTIONALLY, A CELEBRATION
REALLY PUTTING HOLYOKE ON THE MAP FOR THAT WHOLE WEEK IF NOT
LONGER.
BUT JUST THE DOLLARS THAT IT BRINGS IN TO THE LOCAL
RESTAURANTS AND BARS AND TO OTHER VENDORS THAT, YOU KNOW,
BENEFIT FROM HAVING THAT KIND OF A CROWD.
TRAVEL AND TOURISM IN GENERAL IN WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS HAS
BECOME, IT'S ALWAYS BEEN IMPORTANT, BUT WITH THE CASINO
AND THE ADDITION OF THE SEUSS MUSEUM AND THE INVESTMENTS AT
THE HALL OF FAME, WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS REALLY IS A TRAVEL
AND TOURISM, THAT IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF OUR ECONOMIC
SECTOR RIGHT NOW, AND THAT IS CERTAINLY TAKING A HIT.
AND IT'S NOT JUST THE VENUES, IT'S ALL OF THE OTHER VENDORS
AND RESTAURANTS AND BARS AND HOTELS THAT TAKE ADVANTAGE OF A
ONE-DAY, TWO-DAY, THREE-DAY TRIP.
BUT THAT IS GOING TO SLOW DOWN, IT JUST KIND OF SNOWBALLS.
>> WHAT ARE YOU HEARING FROM MANUFACTURING COMPANIES?
>> SO THEY MAY HAVE BEEN A LITTLE BIT EARLIER INTO IT,
PARTICULARLY IF THEY WERE DOING BUSINESS OVERSEAS, WHETHER IT
WAS WITH CHINA OR EUROPE, OBVIOUSLY THAT'S WHERE IT ALL
KIND OF STARTED.
THEY HAD STARTED TO SEE ORDERS SLOW DOWN, YOU KNOW, THOSE
RELATIONSHIPS WERE KIND OF PUT ON HOLD FOR A WHILE AS THEY WERE
DEALING WITH THE ISSUES IN CHINA AND EUROPE, PARTICULARLY NOW
ITALY, SPAIN AND ENGLAND, AND IRELAND.
SO THEY WERE ALMOST THE CANARY IN THE MINE SHAFT, THAT THEY HAD
ALREADY SEEN ORDERS TO SLOW DOWN.
SO I THINK EVERYBODY THINKS THAT WHEN WE CAN GET THROUGH THIS,
THINGS WILL PICK UP, AND HOPEFULLY WE GET BACK TO THAT
POINT.
BUT IT'S GOING TO TAKE SOME MONTHS BEFORE THAT HAPPENS.
>> AND NONPROFITS AS WELL SUFFERING.
>> WE WERE TALKING EARLIER, I THINK THE NONPROFITS IS AN AREA
WHERE PERHAPS PEOPLE DON'T NECESSARILY THINK OF IT BEING
HARD HIT OR PART OF THE ECONOMY.
IT'S AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE ECONOMY, EVERYTHING FROM FOOD
BANKS TO SCOUTING PROGRAMS, I MEAN IT'S REALLY EVERYTHING AND
THIS IS A TIME WHEN PEOPLE LOOK TO THOSE NOT FOR PROFITS FOR
SERVICES.
YET MANY OF THEM HAD TO CANCEL THEIR FUNDRAISERS, THEIR
EMPLOYEES ARE OUT THE SAME AS IT IS IN ANY OTHER BUSINESS.
SO THEY'RE HAVING TROUBLE MEETING DEMAND.
IN TERMS OF THOSE SERVICES.
SO IT IS AN OPPORTUNITY ON TWO FRONTS, ONE IF YOU'RE ABLE TO
SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL CHARITY, YOU KNOW, PLEASE DO SO.
NOW IS A GOOD TIME TO DO THAT BECAUSE THEY PROBABLY NEED THAT
SUPPORT NOW MORE THAN EVER.
AND EVEN IF THEY'RE NOT ABLE TO HAVE THEIR FUNDRAISER, IF YOU
CAN STILL BE SUPPORTIVE OF THAT, TO SEND THEM A CHECK FOR THAT, I
HAVE TO SAY THE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF WESTERN
MASSACHUSETTS HAS BEEN OUT IN FRONT ON THIS.
IF NOT FOR PROFITS, GO TO THEIR WEBSITE, THEY ARE PUTTING
TOGETHER A PROGRAM FOR THE ISSUES AROUND COVID-19.
AND RELIEF FROM THAT.
SO A GRANT PROGRAM THERE.
I WOULD ENCOURAGE NOT FOR PROFITS TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF
THAT.
AND THERE'S A NETWORK ACROSS THE STATE THAT HAS STEPPED UP TO DO
THE SAME THING.
SO IT'S BEING RECOGNIZED, BUT I THINK EVERYBODY IN THEIR DAILY
LIFE IN WESTERN MASS HAS A GREAT TRADITION OF COMING TOGETHER AND
BEING SUPPORTIVE, SO NOW IS THE TIME TO DO THAT AND DON'T FORGET
YOUR NOT FOR PROFITS, WHETHER YOU'RE TALKING THE BOYS AND
GIRLS CLUB OR THE Y, THE SCOUTING PROGRAM, EVERYBODY IS
IN THE SAME BOAT TRYING TO PROVIDE SERVICES.