1.   Our businesses have worked tirelessly to fight COVID-19 and need to be at            the center of any discussion that impacts them.

• Businesses should be thanked and recognized for their work, not chastised. The majority of businesses have implemented the rules they have been asked to follow. There have been times where these rules were arbitrary, and changed regularly, yet businesses worked to comply.

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• Businesses should be included in all discussions related to COVID-19. We request that City County Health, State Health, and any other groups making rules include organizations like Chambers, the Downtown Development Authority, and tourism groups immediately and consistently moving forward.

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• Messaging should be designed to inspire businesses to comply - not threaten or condemn. Any statements should immediately stop the implications that business has been reckless or uncompliant during this process. It is untrue, and it does not help us make progress. The facts reflect that there have been very few bad players, and that should be clearly stated in any messaging.

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• Any further restrictions should take into account the impact they have on business. The way we put these rules into place matters. The immediate closing of eating establishments will cost our businesses thousands. Even heavily infected areas, such as New York City, gave a few hours notice of their decision.

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• Any rules that pick winners and losers eg: close “Main Street” businesses while holding corporate entities harmless should be held and contemplated to design rules that level the playing field.