By DEBRA HAIGHT
BCR Correspondent
ST. JOSEPH – Berrien County Commissioners want to send a message to state leaders including Gov. Gretchen Whitmer as the state approaches the one year anniversary of pandemic restrictions. They want to see restaurants open up at more than 25 percent capacity and they want to see a regional approach to pandemic restrictions.
Commissioners unanimously approved two resolutions at their meeting last week. One declares March to be Restaurant Month in the county and encourages residents to support area restaurants. The other asks Whitmer to take a more regional approach to pandemic related restrictions.
“Whereas, Berrien County has seen a consistent downward trend in the numbers affected by COVID-19, it is now time for all of our businesses, including but not limited to restaurants and banquet facilities, to remain open in accordance with CDC guidelines with industry-specific procedures aimed at containing the spread of COVID-19 in place,” the resolution stated.
“Now, therefore be it hereby resolved that the Berrien County Board of Commissioners calls upon the Governor to implement a new, regional approach to mitigation that values local input, takes cases, vaccinations, seasonality, and regional differences into consideration, and sets clear benchmarks for the easing of restrictions on businesses for the public to follow.”
Commissioners began talking about drafting a resolution or letter to Whitmer the previous week and had that discussion supported last week by a presentation from Southwest Michigan Regional Chamber President Arthur Havlicek.
Havlicek said his organization supported both resolutions. “As the voice for business in the region, we support them,” he said. “Generally we are in support of the governor and understand what she faces, but we need a different approach.”
“An overwhelming majority of people understood the situation and followed the orders, but we know more than we did a year ago and most importantly we have vaccines,” he added. “I believe we’re winning the fight with the number of cases and hospitalizations dropping and the percent positivity rate at 3.4 percent today.”
He noted that over 30,000 people have been vaccinated in Berrien County, representing 20 percent of the population. “We’re at least on the pathway out of the pandemic,” he said. ‘Why aren’t restrictions declining as well? We’re still doing a one size fits all approach. Other states have empowered local governments to adopt metrics and roadmaps.”
Havlicek said Berrien County’s location on the state line highlights one of the unique challenges this area faces. “We are in direct competition with another state, countless restaurants have had to watch people got to Indiana to go out to eat,” he said. “25 percent capacity and a 10 p.m. closing time isn’t viable.”
“Make no mistake, businesses have been absolutely devastated,” he added. “Over 3,000 restaurants in the state have closed and 200,000 jobs lost in the restaurant industry. Here in Berrien County, 45.5 percent of the job losses have been from the hospitality industry … Meanwhile, bars and restaurants account for less than three percent of outbreaks.”
He said a different approach is needed as the state approaches the one year anniversary of “two weeks to flatten the curve.” “We need to have a different approach and an easing of restrictions,” he said. “It’s not health and science versus business, we all have the same agenda. We want to return to normal and recognize the successful approach taken by other states around us.”
He noted that the Southwest Michigan Chamber has expanded on the Restaurant Week idea initiated by the Greater Niles Chamber of Commerce and is promoting March as Restaurant Month in the county. “There will be special promotions and also a push to ask local municipalities to adopt similar resolutions,” he said. “If there’s ever a time to do so, that time is now.”
Havlicek noted that restaurants and other businesses need the “three Cs” of consumers, cash flow and certainty. “Businesses have had to without all three,” he said. “The governor said she couldn’t commit to reopening guidelines. It’s frustrating for businesses not to have clear guidelines and benchmarks.”
Commissioners thanked Havlicek for his input and for the work his organization is doing to help area businesses. Their main debate was whether to put more specifics in the resolution addressed to the governor, asking for specific capacity percentages.
While Havlicek said restaurant owners he’s talked to would like to see the state allow at least 50 percent capacity, some commissioners wanted to push for 100 percent capacity. Commissioners Mike Majerek and Julie Wuerfel said they’d like to see the county board take a more assertive approach and mention other businesses that are hurting.
Commission Vice-Chairman Ezra Scott agreed, saying that the resolutions were “a start.” He said he was in favor of 100 percent capacity which he noted would be in keeping with federal Centers for Disease Control guidelines. He added that it’s not only the restaurant owners who are hurting, it’s their employees too.
Havlicek gave examples of what’s happened to a number of area restauranteurs. He said one Buchanan area restaurant owner has lost employees to Indiana because they need steady work to provide for their families. He said a St. Joseph area restaurant innovated and created a second business to keep workers employed.
While he said he would be fine with more assertive language being used, he thought the resolutions as written would send the message. “The one thing we see that is moving the needle is public pressure,” he said. “There was a major public outcry about high school sports a few weeks ago.”
“By taking this action, the county’s foremost voice is saying enough is enough,” he added. “It helps our businesses to know that you have our back. We’re saying that we want to be in control of our own destiny and I think the two resolutions accomplish that.”
County Board Chairman Mac Elliott said the state’s continuing imposition of one size fits all pandemic restrictions shows a level of indifference to working people. He suggested that the governor and her staff donate their salaries as a sign of solidarity to people who have lost their jobs.
“We have to at least get back to 50 percent so these businesses can survive and then take a measured, safe approach to get back up to 100 percent,” he said. “Hopefully we can do that by the time we swing into our official summer tourist season if not before.”
Elliott said the resolutions will also be snt to the state county clerks association as well as to local clerks in Berrien County. “The squeaky wheel gets the grease, each week we can continue to make noise,” he said.
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