Nutley Chamber works with government to help businesses

NUTLEY, NJ — Businesses are struggling as coronavirus lockdown measures stay in place in New Jersey. Nutley businesses are not exempt from the economic impact, the stress and the uncertainty. Fortunately, Nutley’s business community has a strong team in its corner: the Nutley Chamber of Commerce.

Under the leadership of President Dan Leon, along with Director of Marketing Eric Francois, Social Media and Promotions Director Kevin Knight and office manager Barbara Chiareri, among many other board members, the Chamber of Commerce is providing resources to local businesses to keep them afloat and is working at the state and national level for relief.

“Because of this unprecedented situation with the COVID, businesses that are allowed to stay open are at minimal capacity and those that are closed of course are waiting it out,” Leon told the Nutley Journal, adding that there have been issues with the Paycheck Protection Program, Economic Injury Disaster Loan program and other Small Business Administration disaster programs that have run out of money.

“Along with the delays with the above mentioned loan programs, our business owners mentioned they will need a working capital program to help them over the next four to six months, to assist with expenses while we hopefully get back to business and get consumer confidence back for people to feel more comfortable coming out of their homes and doing business. There have been many seasonal businesses affected terribly,” Leon said.

To begin to address some of these issues, Leon sent a letter April 13 to Congresswoman Mikie Sherrill explaining the problems with current programs to assist small businesses and seeking her help.

“Since you proudly represent Nutley, N.J., we are asking for your help. You are aware that there are Paycheck Protection Program and EIDL programs. If you review these programs closely, they really don’t help business owners get cash to keep their businesses afloat. This process is failing,” Leon wrote to Sherrill. “Congress is losing touch with what is really happening on ‘Main Street’ and the system in place is failing us, the voters and small business community in Nutley, N.J., as well as all over the country. We are looking at Congress for your help and economic support. Please start doing what we all voted you in to do! Which is, pass a bill that will genuinely help small business owners.”

According to Leon, Sherrill not only responded to the letter, but held a conference call with several chambers of commerce, including Nutley’s, on April 22.

“The call was very informative, and we felt she definitely has the best interests of our business community and New Jersey on her agenda,” Leon said. “Mikie Sherrill’s office has responded and has confirmed we will have another call with her scheduled for our Nutley business owners in the next few weeks.”

Just the following day, April 23, Sherrill voted to approve the fourth COVID-19 relief package, which passed Congress with a vote of 388-5; the measure had passed the Senate earlier in the week. The legislation will provide an additional $321 billion for the Paycheck Protection Program, an additional $60 billion in Economic Injury Disaster Loans, $75 billion in additional funding for health care providers, as well as a much-needed additional $25 billion for testing.

“I’m going to vote for this because it provides desperately needed money for small businesses and hospitals,” Sherrill said on the floor during debate just prior to voting. “But we have got to do better by our state and local governments. We must support the work of our cops, firefighters, EMTs and teachers. New Jersey is critical in the fight against this virus. We have more scientists and engineers per square mile than anywhere in the world, the best education system in the country. So supporting our state and local governments in New Jersey is key to beating this virus and taking care of Americans.”

Although Sherrill views the passage of the fourth relief package as a step in the right direction, she is still urging for the federal government to do more to support businesses and others affected by the coronavirus.

“Every day, I talk with small businesses who need immediate help confronting the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic,” Sherrill said in a press statement following the vote. “It’s long past time to provide more assistance to the businesses who line the main streets across my district — small businesses who are just trying to survive this crisis and take care of their employees. Our economy needs them to not only survive, but to be poised and ready when we have weathered this pandemic.

“Although this bill provides much needed assistance to small businesses and hospitals, it is not enough,” she continued. “Congress must continue to work across the aisle to make sure our state and local governments have the help they need to get their residents back on their feet.”

Just as Sherrill has said she isn’t done asking for more assistance from the federal government, the Nutley Chamber of Commerce urges residents and business owners to join the fight.

“The best way we can all help ourselves is to call, email and write our local, county and state representatives to continue to fight for more assistance,” Leon said. “More importantly, to address continued help of the existing programs and getting help to cover expenses over the next four to six months.”

On the local front, the chamber has continued working with local businesses on promotion, moving heavily online, heavily utilizing social media. For more information on this, visit the chamber’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/nuleychamberofcommerce.

“We are lucky to have talented and caring people that volunteer their time for the Nutley Chamber of Commerce; Andy Garruto, Eric Francois, Barbara Chiarieri and Kevin Knight, all have been very active and supportive in these last 30 days,” Leon said. “Our board and members are so supportive of our initiatives. We also have a great business community in Nutley, who are always involved with their neighborhood. We really care about all of them.”

  COVID-19, FEATURED, Mikie Sherrill, Nutley Chamber of Commerce