Local leaders provide update on economic recovery plan

JACKSON, Tenn. — Phase one of the economic recovery plan is right around the corner, but leaders are still making changes to it.

“We’ll be adjusting our plan to coincide with the governor’s,” said Madison County Mayor Jimmy Harris.

Friday, Gov. Bill Lee announced non-essential retailers are to stay closed until Wednesday. Only restaurants will open Monday.

“They have to sanitize, use disposable menus, rolled silverware in sealed bins, sanitize chairs and tabletops, no self-serve buffets, single use condiments, limited seating, six per table, 50 percent seating capacity,” said Jackson Mayor Scott Conger.

With this still comes concerns from health department leaders.

“What concerns me are the unknown exposures in the 17 people we tested. Unknown exposure, to me, means community spread,” said Jackson-Madison County Regional Health Department Director Kim Tedford.

That’s why leaders say it is up to you to make this successful.

“I want to encourage everyone, everybody to continue to wash your hands for 20 seconds with soap and water when you can. Use hand sanitizer when you can’t. Continue to social distance, six feet. And wear a mask or any kind of face covering,” Tedford said.

“What we’re encouraging our businesses to do is ask their customers to wear a mask when they come into the business,” Mayor Harris said.

“I am going to make it clear to our restaurants and retailers this afternoon that you have to operate within these guidelines,” Mayor Conger said.

But if we see a sustained increase in cases, the city and county have plans to take retroactive steps.

“Successful phase one is that we don’t have a massive outbreak of new cases, that our hospital capacity doesn’t go into crisis mode, that our restaurants and our retail are operating properly and that our patrons are using common sense,” Mayor Conger said.

This is to not overwhelm the healthcare system that serves all of West Tennessee, not just Madison County. The healthcare system has already seen an $18 million drop in revenue.

“Our operating expense budget for the year is over $900 million. We are a very large organization. What you may not realize though, based on those kinds of figures, is that we operate on a very small margin because we’re a non-profit governmental organization,” said West Tennessee Healthcare Chief Compliance and Communications Officer, Amy Garner.

WBBJ 7 Eyewitness News also asked Mayor Harris about the financial situation of the county. He says they are expecting a $4 to 6 million drop in revenue.

Mayor Conger says he is personally taking a 15 percent pay cut.