Published in the April 20, 2021 edition.

WAKEFIELD — To help inform voters ahead of the April 27 Town Election, the Daily Item posed two questions to the candidates running for Town Council and two questions to those running for School Committee. We will be running their responses in four installments this week.

We begin today with our first question to Town Council candidates Julie Smith-Galvin, Anne Danehy and Brandon Flanagan. The three candidates are vying for two seats on the board.

Question:
As more and more people are vaccinated and COVID-19 restrictions are lifted, what role can town government play in helping local businesses get back to normal?

JULIE SMITH GALVIN: As the COVID crisis wanes, local government will play an important role in ensuring that our business community survives and thrives. I recently had the opportunity to visit with multiple small businesses across our downtown district.

The impact of the pandemic is as varied as the businesses themselves. Some, like dog grooming services, have done well as more people have welcomed pets as cuddly stay-at-home companions. Others, like appliance stores, have had to change their business model to online browsing and appointment only services. Still others, especially restaurants, have been hard hit by public health measures like occupancy restrictions.

Throughout the pandemic, the Town Council, working with town staff, has sought to find innovative ways to support businesses. In addition to allowing outside dining, we have collaborated with the Chamber of Commerce and Main Streets to encourage the local purchases of goods, services and gift cards. Earlier this spring, we also offered a successful Digital Marketing and Grant program to help our businesses expand their ecommerce offerings.

Wakefield is estimated to receive nearly $8 million in additional federal funding from the recently passed stimulus bill. While details are not yet finalized, I believe that these funds will give us a unique opportunity to help businesses and residents who have suffered from the pandemic, while also bolstering our ongoing efforts to build the social and physical infrastructure needed to be an attractive community.

ANNE DANEHY: Our local businesses certainly have been hurt by the shut down and I think that the town should continue to support them so that they can rebound successfully and do what they do best.

To that end, I think there should be clear and consistent communication around changing rules and regulations pertaining to COVID recovery efforts, perhaps a weekly or monthly update, and the communication should be specific for each type of businesses. I know that our businesses can go to the state website, but they have so many things to consider, that anything we can take off their plate the better.

Having our director of community and economic development meeting with local businesses to assess their needs and what resources they would like is a good way to put together an action-oriented plan. I also support continued outdoor dining. I think that worked very well, and I would like to see that continued and even expanded. Expansion of parklets for cafes and retail could be a good idea as well.

BRANDON FLANAGAN: As a community, it is incredibly important that we remain vigilant and guarded as the Commonwealth and rest of the country continues to reopen and lift restrictions, especially when it comes to protecting the health and well-being of our most susceptible community members – the elderly and those deemed “at-risk.”

As a fellow small business owner, I have firsthand knowledge of how the COVID pandemic created unforeseen business interruptions. While many companies and organizations are generally prepared with contingencies, very few were prepared for a global pandemic. As a result, revenues and operational income were greatly diminished which led to a snowball effect that has put so much stress on our economy and caused unemployment rates today to exceed 6 percent.

As a member of Town Council, I intend to work closely with the Wakefield-Lynnfield Chamber of Commerce in support of our local businesses. Specifically, Wakefield’s leadership and community bank executives must work alongside the Chamber to ensure business owners have the resources necessary to reclaim operational normalcy.

Workshops, seminars and other direct outreach programs are essential to educating small businesses about state and federal programs designed to supplement lost income. Among those programs include the Payroll Protection Program (PPP), Small Business Administration (SBA) loans, employer tax credits and other tax-based deferrals.

Effectively and openly communicating with our community and providing resources to them is the most effective and efficient means to ensuring our local businesses regain their footing during these challenging times.

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[In tomorrow’s Daily Item, we pose the first of two questions to the candidates for School Committee.]