After not being included the first counties to lift the Stay-at-Home Order, on Friday, the Schuylkill County Response, Recovery and Renewal Task Force contacted Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf to request that the County begin to reopen in the near future, just as he has reopened 37 counties in the last few weeks.
The task force is comprised of a group of bipartisan officials including local legislators, county and local officials, representatives from the healthcare industry, and other stakeholders from the business community.
While many counties throughout Pennsylvania had their stay at home orders lifted today, Schuylkill County remains locked down.
“I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: small towns like New Philadelphia should not be treated the same as sprawling cities like Philadelphia,” said Senator Dave Argall, a member of the task force.
“The Schuylkill Chamber of Commerce and our 775 members, including businesses and non-profits, continue to be very frustrated by the inability of Schuylkill County to begin to reopen our economy,” said Robert Carl, President of the Schuylkill Chamber of Commerce. “The businesses and non-profits have been patient and cooperative with the Commonwealth of PA guidelines and have followed all the CDC and State Department of Health directives. But to continue in this manner, with no stated logic and methodology of what more can be done, no targets set to reopen, and the continued call for patience, simply is untenable to the broader business community.”
“Schuylkill County has been and is absolutely ready to get back to business,” said Schuylkill County Commissioner George Halcovage. “Our leadership and task force representing all sectors of our county have a plan in place to open back up safely, utilizing all of the CDC and Department of Health guidelines. We owe this to our citizens.”
While many counties throughout Pennsylvania had their stay at home orders lifted today, Schuylkill County remains locked down.
“I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: small towns like New Philadelphia should not be treated the same as sprawling cities like Philadelphia,” said Senator Dave Argall, a member of the task force.
“The Schuylkill Chamber of Commerce and our 775 members, including businesses and non-profits, continue to be very frustrated by the inability of Schuylkill County to begin to reopen our economy,” said Robert Carl, President of the Schuylkill Chamber of Commerce. “The businesses and non-profits have been patient and cooperative with the Commonwealth of PA guidelines and have followed all the CDC and State Department of Health directives. But to continue in this manner, with no stated logic and methodology of what more can be done, no targets set to reopen, and the continued call for patience, simply is untenable to the broader business community.”
“Schuylkill County has been and is absolutely ready to get back to business,” said Schuylkill County Commissioner George Halcovage. “Our leadership and task force representing all sectors of our county have a plan in place to open back up safely, utilizing all of the CDC and Department of Health guidelines. We owe this to our citizens.”
The Schuylkill County Response, Recovery and Renewal Task Force Members are:
Agriculture Sector - Stephanie Shirk, Regional Executive, Penn State Cooperative Extension
Business Sector - Robert Carl, President & CEO - Schuylkill Chamber of Commerce
Courts & Prison Sector - President Judge William Baldwin, Schuylkill County Courts of Common Pleas
Economic Development Sector - Frank Zukas, President - Schuylkill Economic Development Corporation
Education Sector - Dr Gregory Koons, Superintendent – Schuylkill Intermediate Unit 29
Emergency Management Sector - John Matz, Schuylkill County Emergency Management Agency John Blickley-Schuylkill County Emergency Management Agency
Federal Government Sector – US Senator Bob Casey (Connor Corpora Staff Representative) US Senator Pat Toomey (Marta Gabriel Staff Representative) Congressman Dan Meuser, (Nathan Gerace Staff Representative)
Healthcare Sector - William Reppy, CEO, Lehigh Valley Health Schuylkill Gabe Kamarousky, CEO, Geisinger – St Luke’s Medical Center, Orwigsburg Wendy Lazo, CEO - St Luke’s – Miners Memorial Hospital, Coaldale
Local Government Sector - Gary Bender, Chairman - Schuylkill County Association of Townships Mayor Michael Devlin, Chairman - Schuylkill County Borough Association Thomas Palamar, City of Pottsville Administrator
Manufacturing Sector - Darlene Robbins, CEO - Northeast Employers and Manufacturers Association
Non-Profit Sector - Kelly Malone, Executive Director, Schuylkill United Way
Human Services Sector- Deanna Orlowsky, Schuylkill County Office of Senior Services
State Government Sector – Senator Dave Argall - 29th Senatorial District Representative Neal Goodman - 123rd Legislative District Representative Jerry Knowles - 124th Legislative District Representative Mike Tobash – 125th Legislative District Christine Verdier – Chief of Staff, Senator Argall Marybeth Dougherty – Senator Argall Office Michael McCord – Representative Goodman Office