HOWELL – Councilman Thomas Russo, the chairman of a task force that is seeking to help Howell’s business owners recover from the impact of the 2020 coronavirus pandemic, provided an update of the group’s work during the July 14 meeting of the Township Council.
Russo said the business recovery task force had met twice in recent weeks and he described the panel as a think-tank.
“Very productive, I have to say I am very proud of the members and everyone who took part,” Russo said.
He said the members discussed the idea of having the Township Council recommend that business owners should show their operations are in compliance with standards that have been established by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
“We discussed the reasons why people may be apprehensive about going to a restaurant or to a store, and what people want to know is that (the location) is clean.
“They want to know the business is using the proper cleaning products, adhering to social distancing and (having people) wear masks, especially when (employees) are cooking food or talking to customers.
“We thought about having a window sticker which would show members the public the business is in compliance with the standards set by the CDC,” Russo said.
Mayor Theresa Berger asked who would hand out the window sticker and who would be responsible for enforcement.
Russo said the council would supply the window sticker, but would not be responsible for enforcing compliance with CDC guidelines.
Township Attorney Joe Clark said the idea came from Jeffrey Basset, the owner of a Chick-fil-A restaurant in Howell and a member of the task force.
“Jeff Basset has a placard in his restaurant that says ‘This is what we do,’ and it says their employees have their temperature taken and sanitize their hands. The idea is that people will sort of use that (as a guide),” Clark said.
Clark said municipal officials will be establishing any health standards.
“We are not establishing any protocols of our own because obviously we can’t do that. The county Board of Health administers the health standards. We (Howell) just want, as part of the task force’s mission to help businesses, to give them something to point out to the public that we are all in this together and this is what we are doing to keep you safe,” Clark said.
Berger said the idea of a window sticker was “fabulous, but people sometimes get lax. So if you are not doing a check-up … the business could still have their sticker, but might not be doing the right thing.”
Russo said that possibility was discussed and he said members of the public could hold a business accountable if that was found to be the case.
Russo and Clark said the idea of a window sticker is still in the works.
Deputy Mayor Evelyn O’Donnell said the intent is to reassure members of the public things are being done correctly.
“I think the standards businesses used prior to COVID-19 were maintained by the Board of Health, and if not, the public was quick to call and make sure they were (being maintained). So we are trying to reassure the public,” O’Donnell said.
She said Basset offered to pay for the window stickers.
On another issue, the task force members will work to put together a guide for business owners and managers that will let them know what grants and programs may be available to them.
The task force is a public-private partnership that in addition to Russo, who is an attorney, and Basset, includes Steve Friedman, owner of ProCare Rehabilitation, Howell; chiropractor Dr. Dan Cardellichio; Tom Comer, president of the Howell Chamber of Commerce; William Stahnten, vice president of Certified Auto Mall, Howell; Planning Board member Robert Seaman; and Councilwoman Pamela Richmond.
