By Gerri Miller
Staff Writer
Wetumpka Mayor Jerry Willis said the current health crisis has been a learning experience, but he is optimistic that the City and its small business community will be okay.
“It’s going to take a while for us to climb out of this hole, but we will be there to support our small businesses,” Willis said. He said the efforts of Gov. Ivey and the Attorney General’s office to get the states businesses back up and running are very important to the city and he hopes soon that the way will be clear for some of those businesses to open back up.
Gov. Ivey said last week that the reopening of the state’s economy must be a gradual and cautious process to avoid a resurgence of coronavirus cases while a state task force urged the immediate reopening of some businesses.
The governor is facing a push by some businesses to be allowed to reopen while balancing health concerns and worries that limited testing has not fully tracked the state of the virus’s spread in Alabama. The current closures and stay-home order lasts through April 30, and the governor is expected to announce a decision possibly today.
He said many of Alabama’s cities and small business communities are hurting, but when you have a large casino such as Wind Creek in your town shut down there is even more reason for concern. That casino normally brings three million people annually to the city.
“Those people who visit the Casino don’t do everything there,” Willis said. “They eat in our restaurants, buy gasoline and shop in our stores.” He said small businesses have also taken a major hit by not being allowed to be open like the big box stores.
Funding was briefly available to help small businesses. But the $349 billion emergency small business lending program tapped out. The Small Business Administration officially ran out of money for the Paycheck Protection Program, according to a message for lenders posted on the administration’s website. That fund has now been replenished.
“The federal funding had gotten sucked up,” he said. “I would like to see more relief for our small businesses.” He said even some churches have experienced decline in giving because they cannot open for public services.
Willis urged people to follow social distancing rules, wear gloves and masks and be cautious about being out in public. He said the situation became closer to home when one of his neighbors lost a family member to COVID19.
“I think we are experiencing a tough time like we’ve never experienced,” Willis said. “The bottom line, though, is that we continue to work together and use common sense.”
