New Jersey’s Restart and Recovery Advisory Council
N.J. Bouncing Back from COVID-19
New Jersey is taking an intelligent approach to reopening. Governor Murphy called on business leaders to advise on the best way to reopen New Jersey’s economy.
Murphy’s Restart and Recovery Advisory Council is made up of business and municipal leaders from around the state. The council will be broken into 9 specific sector groups to advise NJ leadership on the best approach to reopening.
Reopening the state is no small task. COVID-19 caused one of the largest economic challenges in recent history. Opening businesses, restarting the economy, and getting people back to work will not happen at the flip of a switch. Identifying the most effective and safest way to reopen will require business and government leaders to work together to create a comprehensive solution.
The council is divided into nine sector-specific committees:
- Facilities and Construction
- Government
- Health Care
- Main Street
- Manufacturing and Supply Chain
- Professional Services
- Social Services and Faith
- Tourism and Entertainment
- Transportation and Infrastructure
Governor Murphy’s 16-member Restart and Recovery Commission will be taking direct input from the council. Having the input of actional business leaders will prove invaluable. Those in government can’t know what’s best for business. Making the best decision on reopening the New Jersey economy will require direct suggestions and recommendations from the business leaders who directly contribute to the New Jersey economy.
“This is a boots-on-the-ground, real-world approach to how we move forward. This council is as diverse, smart, and hard-working as New Jersey’s economy was before the pandemic – which is why they can help us get on, and stay on, our road back.” Governor Murphy explained during his May 8th COVID-19 briefing.
John W. Kennedy, CEO NJEMP, was invited to be part of the Manufacturing and Supply Chain subcommittee. NJMEP fought early on during the pandemic to ensure all manufacturing remains open and these critical supply chains remain intact. Without the efforts of NJMEP and John W. Kennedy’s direction, this critical industry would have been crippled by executive orders closing down businesses. Instead, all New Jersey manufacturing was considered essential and is now in a position to help other sectors bounce back.
“If you think of the Restart and Recovery Commission as the ‘strategy’, then the Advisory Council will be the tactics,” stated Murphy. “This is where the varied voices of those on the ground, in our small businesses, in our communities of faith, in our educational communities, among many others, will come together to advise us on the issues from the local level.”
New Jersey must reopen. The residents, its businesses, and the state cannot sustain this kind of economic shutdown. It will be vital that the best and safest approach is taken. Pooling together this knowledgeable and experienced group of business leaders will be the ideal way to create the most comprehensive and effective reopening plan possible.