The Mitchell Area Development Corporation and Chamber of Commerce has scheduled several teleconference meetings with local businesses to provide a forum for sharing information and current practices related to the disruption caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
“This is a critical time for our businesses,” said Mark Vaux, MADC and Chamber CEO. “It is our responsibility to pull our local business leaders together to find out how they are being affected and what steps they are taking to protect their companies and their employees.”
In conversation with local business owners, Vaux said he’s learned of innovative ideas being implemented to try to ease the burden on business and workers.
“It’s hard to believe that within a few weeks’ time, we’ve gone from an all-time low unemployment rate to a situation where we may see significant layoffs,” said Vaux. “We all want to protect our interests to the best of our ability so that Mitchell’s economy takes the least hit possible. Protecting health, income and cash flow is critical.”
Employers will be grouped so that similar-sized or related organizations will confer with one another: large employers/manufacturers, banks, construction trades, hospitality and auto/transportation are the categories currently being organized. There are five teleconference sessions scheduled, with the first tomorrow (Wednesday).
Notes from the meetings will be compiled and distributed to the organizations’ members, according to Vaux. Different business sectors may have different needs and practices in crisis situations, and he said the MADC/Chamber is willing to provide a forum for members to learn from one another, share concerns, and perhaps assist one another.
“There are many other types of businesses and organizations that may want to participate,” said Vaux. “We will do whatever we can to accommodate and facilitate these crucial conversations.”
“When this disruption wanes, we want our business community to be in a position to ramp up and get back to normal as quickly as possible,” he said.