Luther Deaton, of Central Bank, presents details from Lexington’s Blueprint for Economic Recovery during a press conference releasing the report.
An Economic Recovery Task Force co-chaired by Mayor Linda Gorton and Luther Deaton, chairman, president and CEO of Central Bank, has released a 50-plus page report detailing Lexington’s Blueprint for Economic Recovery and has sent the report to Governor Andy Beshear’s office for approval.
The report, compiled over a two-week period, includes 330 recommendations for reopening the economy, with specific recommendations and guidelines across various sectors, including agriculture and equine, education, small business and technology, houses of worship, healthcare, non-profits, arts and culture, distilleries and craft breweries, hotels and convention centers, and more. The guidelines were compiled by 132 committee members working in subcommittees and representing the city’s major economic sectors.
Prior to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in Kentucky, Lexington’s jobless rate was at 3.1 percent. Since the beginning of March, more than 44,000 Lexington residents, over 25 percent of the civilian workforce, have filed initial unemployment insurance claims.
“Our economy was strong before this pandemic struck, and today we are taking the first steps to recover that strength,” Gorton said. “We have outlined a gradual, responsible path back to the workplace.”
Specific guidance from the Business Industry and Services Subcommittee includes evaluating which positions in the workplace need to be on-site and positions that could continue to work from home; using common areas only when necessary; spacing out employees or rotating workers with block scheduling to facilitate social distancing; and requiring prior approval from designated personnel before workers are permitted to travel to travel-restricted areas of COVID-19 hotspots.
Download the full report at https://smileypete.com/downloads/14643/download/Mayor Gorton's COVID-19 Economic Response Report.pdf