(5/1) While some businesses have been able to remain open in Maryland due to their ‘essential"’classification during the COVID-19 pandemic, not all are doing as well as they might, due to lack of public knowledge that they are still in business. Clearly, most people are aware that grocery stores, pharmacies, and restaurants (carry-out service only) are legally open.
People may be less aware, however, that businesses such as automobile repair shops, home repair, nurseries, and residential cleaning services may be open as well. As a result, many automotive repair shops in the area have experienced their patronage dropping to ‘next-to-nothing’ after the governor announced the stay-at-home policy.
While local government is not really in a position to address fears, they are making an effort to get the word out that enterprises, other than grocery stores and restaurants, are open.
In Thurmont, Economic Development Manager, Vickie Grinder, rallied local businesses who were required to close under state coronavirus regulations, to loan their ‘Open’ flags to businesses who could be open, but did not have their own ‘Open’ flags. For example, the Catoctin Furnace Historical Society lent their ‘Open’ flags to Complete Auto Diagnostics, and others chipped
in flags elsewhere to help their fellow businesses out.
Also, in Thurmont, the town government is pursuing creating "micro-grants" to aid small businesses impacted by the pandemic. Chief Administrative Officer Jim Humerick told the News-Journal, "Vickie Grinder and I have proposed that the town create a micro-grant to aid small businesses. We have proposed a $30,000 grant that will be available to all small businesses within
our municipal boundaries."
"The $30,000 will be split evenly among all compliant businesses that apply, not to exceed $1,000 per business. The businesses have to show a 50-percent loss in revenue in March and April, as compared to the same months in 2019 and have less than 15 employees," Humerick said.
In Emmitsburg, Mayor Don Briggs asked for area residents to continue to support the area restaurants. While focus was placed on helping the restaurants, many Emmitsburg auto repair centers felt left out. As in Thurmont, Emmitsburg automotive repair centers found their service bays void of cars as a result of confusion by customers on state restrictions.
When word reached Emmitsburg of what Thurmont was doing to help their businesses, not just restaurants, businesses in Emmitsburg, still reeling from the restrictions and prohibitions in the recently passed sign ordnance, sought out answers from the Town on the possibility of suspending some sign restrictions. When he was unable to get the town staff to clearly the issue,
Mayor Don Brigg made a ‘command decision’ and authorized the use of ‘open’ flags for all open businesses.
As in Thurmont, word quickly circulated and those with unused ‘Open’ flags, such as Kerry Shorb, owner of My Father's Footsteps, loaned them to businesses who did not have them. Shorb’s flag now hangs outside the Ott House Restaurant.
A subsequent e-mail from the Emmitsburg Town Planner to local businesses attempted to clarify what was and was not allowed, but by that time, businesses had taken matters into their own hands, several stating that with no one in the town office anyway, they did not fear enforcement of the existing sign code.
