Press Kit
Mt Washington Valley Chamber submits recommendations for re-opening to NH Re-Opens Committee
News from Mt Washington Valley Chamber of Commerce – May 30, 2020
Contact: Marti Mayne, 207-846-6331, PR@mtwashingtonvalley.org or Janice Crawford, Janice@mtwashingtonvalley.org
MT WASHINGTON VALLEY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE OFFERS A PLAN TO RE-OPEN VALLEY BUSINESSES TO THE GOVERNOR’S NH-REOPENS COMMITTEE
A phased approach offers recommendations to guide Valley businesses
North Conway, NH – Janice Crawford, Executive Director of the Mt Washington Valley Chamber of Commerce, has worked diligently with Christopher Bellis, owner of Cranmore Inn and President of the Chamber Board, to spearhead recommendations to be presented to the Governor’s Committee to Re-Open New Hampshire. Working with input from a committee of stakeholders comprised of chamber membership representing industries throughout Mt Washington Valley, the plan represents suggested broad guidelines for consideration of the Governor’s NH Re-Opens Committee.
The recommendation for creating this plan came from the Stakeholders Advisory Committee which met via Zoom on April 21 and again on April 28, 2020. This plan was further flushed out with input from six focus groups (Health/Education, Recreation, Attractions, Retail, Restaurants and Lodging). It is the chamber’s intent to convene a non-profit and construction trades/services focus group as soon as possible. Each of these groups were convened via Zoom and facilitated by Christopher Bellis. This process engaged more than 75 chamber members. The committee intends to continue meeting until there are no other collective issues created by the pandemic exist. Anyone is welcome to join.
The Stakeholders Advisory Committee includes: Anita Burroughs, Victoria Laracy, Chuck Henderson, Ben Belanger (US and State Government Reps), Christopher Bellis, Tom Caruso, Andrew Pierce, Eric Dzeidzic (MWVCC Board Members) Dot Seybold, Settlers Green Brenda Leavitt, Badger Realty Jonathan Rivers, Indian Mound Golf Club, Rob Nadler, White Mt Independents Retail, Marti Mayne,( MWVCC PR) Catalina Kirsch, Jarrid Pike, (Carroll County Public Health) John Eastman, Conway Rec Tom Holmes,, Conway Town Manager George Cleveland, Gibson Center Kendra Veno, Restaurant and Retail, Marianne Jackson, Livable Communities, Ben Wilcox, Attraction Dick Delaney, Valley Original Restaurants, Ellie Koeppel, Wentworth Inn, Carol Sullivan, White Mt Hotel, Kate Haley, Fryeburg Town Manager, Jessica Zarenko, Cabernet Inn, Freddie Procyk, Cranmore Mountain Lodge, Art Mathieson, Memorial Hospital, Mark Guerringue, Conway Sun, Jessyca Keeler, Ski NH, Jac Cuddy, MWVEC, Mark Rubenstein, Granite State College
The Mt Washington Valley Chamber of Commerce’s Board of Directors voted to accept the plan to re-open Mt Washington Valley today, and it will be sent to the Governor’s NH Re-Open Committee for consideration in planning for the state’s reopening strategies. This plan is general in nature as more detailed guidelines for individual business segments will be provided by the state but offers input from a broad spectrum of businesses throughout the Valley for the Governor’s consideration. Similar plans are being created and submitted to the NH Re-Open committee to provide input to the Governor for a state-wide approach to reopening.
“This plan was created quickly yet efficiently allowing for a broad spectrum of stakeholders in the Valley to offer input and advice,” commented Janice Crawford. “The plan provides an outline for both the Governor’s NH Re-Open Committee and for the Valley’s businesses to begin planning for the future. It’s general in nature to allow businesses to adapt to their own businesses,” finished Crawford.
In addition to the plan to re-open Mt Washington Valley businesses, the chamber will also encourage all businesses to follow the universal guidelines from the Governor’s Economic Re-Opening Task Force recommending protocols for safeguarding all New Hampshire businesses during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.
The following plan has received approval from the MWVCC Board of Directors and will be offered to the NH Re-Opens committee.
DRAFT PLAN TO REOPEN BUSINESSES IN THE MT. WASHINGTON VALLEY
About our Area
Travel and tourism to New Hampshire is vital to the state’s economy as well as the economy of the Mt. Washington Valley. We have been welcoming families and individuals for many decades. We are fortunate to live in a beautiful area that millions of other people from near and far can only visit; the viability of our local economy is due to sustainable tourism businesses like our attractions, lodging facilities and restaurants.
Many of these businesses are family-owned, small businesses which offer good jobs for local families and support the economy of our communities and the State of New Hampshire. The unprecedented public health crisis we are facing right now has grounded travel to a halt and put the businesses and workers who rely on visitor spending in dire straits. Please consider that our tourism businesses and communities will lose substantial revenue that cannot be recaptured if we are not open for summer.
Many of our local businesses are seasonal businesses and rely on summer and winter vacations to generate the majority of their revenue. Given the unknowns of how the coronavirus could spread during the summer and early fall weeks, a phased approach to opening and remaining open for the season, although difficult to outline, should be considered and one plan is included at the end of this document.
Public Health Protocols
We need to accept the fact that as our Valley is reopened, COVID-19 will be a part of our society until we discover and disseminate a vaccine. We recognize that there are public health benchmarks that may need to be achieved in order to reopen our area safely and intend to promote the Universal Guidelines as provided by the CDC.
? Protocols to identify and contain (or extinguish) any viral hotspots identified post-opening.
? Have mitigation measures to arrest the transmission of the virus from travelling widespread beyond any viral hotspot area.
? Have rapid and ubiquitous testing in place, including antibody tests, in order to monitor the virus in our communities
? We will need to have an adequate supply chain for resources and logistic delivery capability for personal protective equipment, cleaning supplies and hand sanitizer for all businesses.
? We must monitor in real time the health system capacity to insure it will not become overrun in the event of a surge in cases and also insure that we have the staffing needed to provide health care to our residents and our guests.
? All workplaces opened will need to configure layouts to maintain required social distancing guidelines with appropriate PPE, cleaning and sanitizing resources.
? Encourage DHS and other necessary agencies to stop travel to and from infected areas, states or countries to mitigate known viral risk vectors from entering the Mt. Washington Valley.
Economic Considerations
? We need to ensure that there are adequate low interest loans, tax incentives or funding options to help restart ailing businesses and help fund working capital to purchase necessary supplies, materials and to hire the necessary workforce.
? We need to encourage the review and elimination of unnecessary and outdated regulations that will deter our businesses from reopening.
? Additional resources should be directed to states, counties, cities and towns to ensure they can help and enhance the reopening of businesses.
? Encourage the continued aggressive stimulus programs implemented and adopted by federal, state, and/or local governments. This is essential to providing the necessary rescue, relief, and stimulus structures across our economy to ensure that every individual, worker, business and government entity threatened by COVID-19 fully recovers.
Special Considerations
? Many of our local businesses are seasonal businesses which rely of revenues generated during the summer, fall and winter. The peak time for revenue for our businesses is from the end of May and begin their season in earnest at the end of June through the third week of October.
? Based on observations of people continuing to visit NH to recreate outdoors during the pandemic despite NH and other states’ stay-at-home orders, there is likely to be a wide range of both opinions and approaches on the part of visitors to the importance of taking certain precautions (such as the wearing of masks or gloves) seriously. However, we feel that by being
open, we are better able to control what people are doing and provide environments at which sanitation is enforced.
Social Distancing
? We will encourage all businesses to encourage and adopt social distancing guidelines including
- Maintaining six feet of social distance
- Washing or sanitizing hands often
- Covering face in public when six feet of social distance not available
- Staying at home when sick
- Getting tested immediately if symptomatic.
? We will encourage signage that embraces social distancing, establishes traffic patterns,
and promotes proper hand hygiene.
Protecting Staff & Guests
? We will encourage employee Education and Training around safe practices as it relates to Hygiene, Sanitation and Illness Policies
? We will encourage all businesses and their employees to use personal protective equipment (PPE) as needed or necessary as recommended by the CDC.
? We will work to ensure that all businesses in the Valley have adequate access to and supplies of PPE and cleaning supplies.
? We will encourage all staff and guests to stay at home when sick and will recommend any guidelines recommended by the CDC
? We will encourage businesses to install plexiglass sneeze-guards at high traffickedservice and check-in counters
? We will encourage broad recommendations for regular and frequent handwashing as well as encouraging universal availability of hand sanitizer and hand sanitizer stations throughout businesses in the Mt. Washington Valley.
? We will encourage Routine and Enhanced Cleaning on frequently touched surfaces using the cleaning agents recommended by the CDC.
? We will work to encourage increased cleaning and disinfecting schedules for restrooms, common areas or other frequently used areas in or around businesses.
PHASED APPROACH TO LIFT RESTRICTIONS – MT. WASHINGTON VALLEY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
|
| PHASE 1
Strict social distancing | PHASE 2 Restricted Opening Strict social distancing
| PHASE 3 Eased Opening Modified social distancing | PHASE 4 Social distancing awareness |
| TIMING OF IMPLEMENTATION (If increase in cases may need to revert to earlier phase) | Depending on sector beginning May 4, 11 or 18, 2020 | Implement when cases have declined for 14 days or more | Implement 2-4 weeks after Phase 2 with no significant increase in cases | Implement 4-6 weeks after Phase 3 with no significant increase in cases |
| Maximum Gathering Size in confined spaces | 0 or number defined by state or CDC guidance | 10 or number defined by state or CDC guidance | 50 or number defined by state or CDC guidance | 250+ or number defined by state or CDC guidance |
| ESSENTIAL BUSINESSES | Operate with social distancing protocols and exempted from gathering size per governor orders | |||
| HEALTH – ELECTIVE AND PREVENTATIVE CARE | Phase in time sensitive health care services as of May 4, 2020 | Open up elective and preventative care services | Continue elective and preventative care services | Continue elective and preventative care services |
| TRADES/CONSTRUCTION | Continue to work using strict social distancing protocols | |||
| RESTAURANT | Continue take-out/delivery. Open outdoor seating with strict social distancing (6 feet) as of May 18, 2020. No bar seating. | Open indoor seating with strict social distancing (6 feet). Bar areas remain closed except for social distanced seating at bar. | Operate indoor seating and open bars with modified social distancing | All seating allowing with awareness of social distancing |
| RETAIL | Retail businesses may open as of May 11, 2020 at 50% of store occupancy with strict social distancing guidelines | Retail businesses to open with social distancing guidelines | Retail may lessen some of their social distancing guidelines | All allowed with awareness of social distancing |
| LODGING / SHORT TERM RENTALS | Only for emergency workers, local residents, medical care, and emergencies | Open to only NH residents at 50% capacity with strict social distancing guidelines and common areas primarily being closed. Reservations via telephone only. | Leisure travel accepted for those travelling from areas in a similar phase of reopening and where there has been no contact with COVID19 hotspots or illness | Leisure travel accepted for those travelling from areas in a similar phase of reopening and where there has been no contact with COVID19 hotspots or illness |
|
| PHASE 1
Strict social distancing
| PHASE 2 Restricted Opening Strict social distancing
| PHASE 3 Eased Opening Modified social distancing
| PHASE 4 Social distancing awareness
|
| CAMPSITES | Open to only NH residents and members at 50% capacity with strict social distancing guidelines and common areas primarily being closed. Reservations via telephone only. | Open to only NH residents and members at 50% capacity with strict social distancing guidelines and common areas primarily being closed | Leisure travel accepted for those travelling from areas in a similar phase of reopening and where there has been no contact with COVID19 hotspots or illness | Leisure travel accepted for those travelling from areas in a similar phase of reopening and where there has been no contact with COVID19 hotspots or illness |
| ATTRACTIONS | Remain closed | Those attractions that can operate within state guidelines for gathering size limitations operate | Reopen all facilities with awareness of social distancing | |
| PERSONAL SERVICES INCLUDING HAIR SALONS, NAIL SALONS, MASSAGE ETC | Open limited services of haircuts and colors (w/o blow drying) on May 11,2020 with strict social distancing | Open with strict social distancing protocols | Ease some of the social distancing protocols | Reopen and continue awareness of social distancing protocols |
| K-12 EDUCATION | Remote learning
| Reopen schools / programs with social distancing awareness | ||
| SUMMER DAYCAMPS AND PROGRAMMING | Remain closed | Operate with awareness of the need to minimize social distancing to whatever gathering level is currently recommended by state guidelines/restrictions. | Operate programs with social distancing awareness and protocols | |
| CHILDCARE / DAYCARE | Remain closed | Operate with strict social distancing and awareness of gathering level currently recommended by state guidelines/restrictions | Open with eased social distancing | |
| ADULT EDUCATION | Remote learning | Classroom learning can resume with social distancing | Open with eased social distancing | |
|
| PHASE 1 Strict social distancing
| PHASE 2 Restricted Opening Strict social distancing
| PHASE 3 Eased Opening Modified social distancing
| PHASE 4 Social distancing awareness
|
| OVERNIGHT SUMMER CAMPS FOR KIDS | Remain closed | Open with strict limitations on who can enter and encourage staying quarantined to themselves | Camps continue to quarantine unto themselves where possible | Camps open and can allow visitors with awareness of social distancing |
| OUTDOOR RECREATION | Allow local use of outdoor amenities with social distancing. Golf courses may open May 11, 2020 with strict social distancing guidelines. | Locals and day trippers may use amenities but discourage overnight stays. Sports activities can resume when adhering to state guidelines for gathering size and social distancing. | Allow all those coming from areas in a similar phase of reopening and where there has been no contact with COVID19 hotspots or illness. Sports activities operate when adhering to state guidelines for gathering size and social distancing. | Allow full use of outdoor facilities with awareness of social distancing from areas in a similar phase and where there has been no contact with COVID19 hotspots or illness. Sports activities continue when adhering to state guidelines for gathering size and social distancing. |
| INDOOR RECREATION | Remain closed | Those facilities that can operate within state guidelines for gathering size limitations operate with strict social distancing
| Allow all Indoor recreation facilities to open with awareness of social distancing | |
| PROFESSIONALS | Work from home wherever possible | Work from home wherever possible | Workers can return to the workplace but employers advised to put in place social distancing protocols | Workers can work from office or home with social distancing awareness |
| VISITORS FROM OTHER AREAS | Discourage day trippers and overnight guests from other areas. | Encourage day trippers but not overnight stays with strict social distancing from areas in a similar phase of reopening and where there has been no contact with COVID19 hotspots or illness | Encourage day trippers and overnight stays from guests from areas in a similar phase of reopening and where there has been no contact with COVID19 hotspots or illness | Encourage all visitors to visit from areas in a similar phase and where there has been no contact with COVID19 hotspots or illness |
The Mt Washington Valley Chamber of Commerce would like to acknowledge the attentiveness and tenacity of Christopher Bellis and the Stakeholders Committee to quickly create a thorough, thoughtful approach to opening Mt Washington Valley businesses. This plan will be presented today to provide input from the region to the Governor Sununu for a broader approach for reopening New Hampshire.
For more information on Mt Washington Valley Chamber of Commerce, visit www.MtWashingtonValley.org.
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