Things Change…But Stay In The Game
Small Business Owners In Prince George’s Get Information And Encouragement On Coronavirus Economic Impact Town Hall
Click Audio Bar (below) To Listen To Town Hall Session
By Raoul Dennis
In a nearly two-hour forum that resembled crash course preparation for a college entrance exam, county, state, financial and banking leaders crammed information to listeners in a town hall meeting April 23 hosted by At Large County Councilmember Mel Franklin.
There were 1,400 residents and business owners on the call. They received concise information regarding financial applications and funding programs available to small businesses. Click the “LISTEN: Coronavirus Economic Impact Town Hall Talk” audio bar below to hear details.
Speakers included Shelly Gross-Wade, FSC First, Prince George’s County Economic Team, Delegate Darryl Barnes, Chair, MD Legislative Black Caucus, David Harrington, President/CEO, Chamber of Commerce, Walter Simmons, Exec. Director, Employ Prince George's, Mirinda Jackson, County Minority Business Compliance Manager and Steve Kensinger of Wesbanco Bank.
The tone for the near future regarding county business approach was set shortly after Franklin’s introduction by Prince George’s Chamber of Commerce President and CEO David Harrington who said that business will likely not be the same in the future.
“I don’t think things will ever be the same,” Harrington said.
“One of these days we will reach a new normal and we are going to have to rethink how we do procurement in Prince George’s,” Harrington continued. “[We will have to discuss] how we get some of these small businesses back to work. The days of doing things with these regulations and the like [will need to change]. We’ll have to think about how we increase local procurement to local businesses in a way that gets them back to work quickly. We will need Marshall Plan, if you will, to get people back to work.”
Franklin agreed.
“As we move toward recovery, we will have to leverage our dollars. We will probably have to do things differently than we’ve ever done them before by making sure as many of our dollars as possible – public and private – go toward local businesses.”
But before recovery, there is the challenge of today. Each of the guests shared detailed information as to the programs and options available and the dollar amounts affiliated with them.
The common denominator among the offerings: get applications in quickly. Small business applicants need to think and act in terms of days, not weeks.
To listen to the business supportive options, programs and COVID relief funding, click the “LISTEN: Coronavirus Economic Impact Town Hall Talk” audio bar above.
To hear questions to the panel from residents and business owners, click the “LISTEN: Coronavirus Economic Impact Town Hall Questions” audio bar above.
