— from John Evans —
The COVID-19 event will have a major effect to life on Orcas island this spring and summer as services, restaurants, retail and tourist related businesses are closed for an unknown length of time. A shorter duration it is hoped. Most likely it will take some time to return to normal.
Even in a “normal” year, many of our local businesses, their employees and service providers navigate a financial tight-rope. We can all help. If we don’t make the effort, many of the services, businesses, employees that are the fabric of island life will be gone.
I have been fortunate to live on Orcas nearly 35 years. Our island has met the challenges of major wind and snow storms. In 1999 a ferry boat rammed the Orcas landing. The dock was inoperable for months. The point is, lets get creative, support our local economy, and do all we can as individuals to be medically responsible for ourselves and for each other.
A BEGINNING START AT SUGGESTIONS AND IDEAS (ADD SOME OF YOUR OWN)
SHOP AND BUY LOCAL WHENEVER POSSIBLE.
(This simply act makes a huge difference.)
- LANDLORDS: GIVE TENANTS A FORGIVENESS ON RENTS DURING THE COVID-19 EVENT IF THEY AGREE TO STAY OPEN FOR BUSINESS. (A closed store or empty building is usually a poor investment decision.)
- BANKS: DEFER PRINCIPAL AND INTEREST PAYMENTS BY EXTENDING A LOAN FOR 6 MONTHS AT THE END OF THE OBLIGATION, IF THEY AGREE TO STAY OPEN FOR BUSINESS. (Extending a loan with no payments due now reduces current financial pressure on a local business and employer.)
- COUNTY GOVERNMENT… TAKE THE LEAD ALONG WITH THE CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL, STATE AND FEDERAL AGENCIES; TO PROVIDE A COMPREHENSIVE DIRECTORY, (CALL NUMBER AND EMAIL) AND THE INFORMED PERSONS TO ANSWER QUESTIONS FOR BUSINESS, EMPLOYEES AND THE INDEPENDENT SELF-EMPLOYED PERSONS SEEKING TO ACCESS SUPPORT AND FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE.
John Evans, Doe Bay … retired
Long time islander, 12 years as a County Commissioner, a man who has been blessed by this special place and hopes all of us will “pay it forward.”
Thank you, John, for your wisdom, your creative ideas, and your support . . . and thanks to Wanda, also, for shopping in our store recently!
Good going: You beat me to the thought. (See my comment on Inslee’s dictat, elsewhere.)
And we are blessed with a great number of hiking trails, where we can all get out of our houses and enjoy some open-air exercise. As long as we stay at least 6 feet apart in passing each other!
thank you. i wonder if there is a list somewhere or a thread listing closed businesses? Is the chamber or economic council on that? I would love to keep shopping local! the coop is talking about beginning to do delivery on bulk orders; this is a creative community but in my mind there is nothing more important right now than helping our needy people and our local businesses.