Message from Councilman Matt Adams | July 8, 2021
We recently passed an important milestone. For the first time since March of 2020, there was a day with no COVID-19 related deaths reported anywhere in New Jersey.
The vaccines are working, and life is slowly returning to normal. Scotch Plains has been a vocal proponent of vaccination; we now rank sixth highest in Union County municipalities for the number of residents who have been inoculated against COVID-19.
Scotch Plains continues to push and press for more residents to schedule an appointment and I hope that we can sponsor free vaccination clinics in the upcoming months for any residents who have not yet had this important shot. I firmly believe that the more people who are vaccinated, the quicker that Scotch Plains can celebrate a strong economic comeback, in style!
If history is a guide, the comeback is always better than the setback. I have every confidence that history will repeat itself again. However, everyone is going to need to play their part.
Such a comeback is critical for our local businesses. They are the backbone of our economy, and — to put it bluntly — they have suffered tremendously through this pandemic in ways many of us can not understand, as livelihoods suddenly crumbled. Whether it is our favorite restaurants, speciality shops, convenience stores, or the popular watering hole, the impact of the pandemic on local commerce has been undeniable.
These small business owners are the neighbors who always say “Yes.” They happily sponsor our youth sports teams, donate gift cards for the school’s PTA tricky tray fundraiser, and employ college students while they are home for the summer and need to get off the couch.
Our local merchants have our backs when we need them, open to bake a pizza on the snowiest of days, to make sure hair and nails are perfect for the daddy/daughter dance, and to host any impromptu celebration that we can concoct with open arms and a smile on their face. Now it is our turn to have their backs. We need to support them and recognize the financial struggles and stress that has been a daily part of their lives since last March.
This recovery is still going to take some time, but, together, we can speed things up and move our local economy forward. Together, we can make conscious decisions to spend our hard-earned money by shopping local. Our town is blessed to be home to so many wonderful businesses, with new ones in the works as the reality of long overdue downtown redevelopment is finally on the horizon.
There probably isn’t a service business our town doesn’t have. And for those who might challenge me on that sweeping notion, now is the time to show prospective businesses what a great downtown we have in order to attract even more. I challenge everyone to help attract new businesses to our commercial districts to fill whatever voids they can find. The Scotch Plains Township Council is all in on making our town a destination place for local commerce.
At town hall, we are doing everything we can to make Scotch Plains as business friendly as possible. We work hard to eliminate the red tape and any unnecessary expense of doing business here. We listen to business owners when they raise issues. We proudly host business forums and use newsletters such as this to highlight local merchants. Scotch Plains has always been and will always be a friend to the business community.
Perhaps this summer, consider a couple of days for a “staycation” and stop by some of your favorite Scotch Plains businesses that you haven’t visited in awhile. I know these merchants will be happy to see you and serve you. I bet they still remember your name.
And, please, if you haven’t already, get your COVID-19 vaccination shot. Click here for convenient locations.
