Conversation with the Terre Haute Mayor Part 1

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Moderator says: good thanks for joining us for this special report.

We are all feeling the impact of covid-19 in one way or another.

Whether it's someone you know having the disease ..

Your child's education ..

Or simply not being able to enjoy your favorite restaurant or shop many of our local businesses are closed or have restricted services due to state-wide orders in illinois and indiana.

And now, the future remains uncertain for some of them.

It's one of many issues we expect to hear about tonight from terre haute mayor, duke bennett.

We take you live to the terre haute chamber of commerce for a special discussion.

Moderator says: good evening and thank you for tuning in to tonight's city update: covid-19 q&a with terre haute mayor duke bennett.

I'm kristin craig, president of the terre haute chamber of commerce.

We are actually inside the chamber office with a skeleton crew for this live broadcast.

I do want to say a very special thank you to wthi-tv and wtwo-tv for live streaming this discussion.

And thank you to everyone at wthi for broadcasting this live on air tonight.

With ever changing information and uncertainty, the chamber decided that sitting down with mayor bennett to discuss what's happening in our area, what this means for the business community and our economy was something that needs to happen.

Thank you mayor bennett for taking the time this evening and being willing to answer questions.

The questions we are addressing tonight are focused on the business and economy.

If you have a health/medical-related question, i urge you to contact the vigo county health department and administrator joni wise.

They are working tirelessly to keep our community healthy and providing regular updates and information via their website and fb page.

Before we dive into the questions that have been submitted by the west central indiana business community, i wanted to give you mayor bennett to say a few words and open this discussion.

Mayor says thank you kristin and thank you to both tv stations and the chamber of commerce for organizing this event tonight.

[notes:keep live bug up] moderator asks: our first question this evening was submitted by jennifer in terre haute she asks [take fs] we had such great momentum with projects coming to this area.

What does this mean for the downtown convention center, casino and other projects?

Mayor says: mayor says: early work for convention center is underway.

In fact, cutting into the pavement to relocate utilities just started today.

In a time when business is struggling and times are hard, this is a positive sign of growth for our community.

I think it's excited, and i hope the community does as well.

Moderator asks: earlier this month the terre haute chamber of commerce, along with numerous local and regional partners launched the west central business hub: covid-19 emergency response team.

The organization was created to help assess the pandemic's impact on businesses in our region, provide answers to immediate questions and connect them with available resources.

Responses to this have been good and we've been able to connect businesses with the resources they need.

[take fs] i know you stay in communication with a lot of leaders in our community what are the big issues that you are hearing?

How has the initial response been from business leaders in our community?

Mayor says: mayor says: community?

Leaders in our from business response been has the initial hearing?

How you are big issues that you are hearing?

How has the initial response been from business leaders in our community?

Mayor says: moderator asks: last week indiana governor eric holcomb called on you to participate in his daily updates.

Not only did he ask you about the west central indiana business hub, but he commended your efforts for the #inthistogether campaign via social media.

[take fs] at this point we have had each one of the higher education institutions, both hospitals, local business, police and fire, individuals participate in the video campaign.

Can you talk a little about the campaign and what it was like working with the governor on that initiative?

Mayor says: in a video released on monday, april 6, mayor bennett stresses the importance of social distancing in order to flatten the curve of covid-19 in west central indiana.

"we will get through this and we will know that we did the best we can to protect this community," bennett says in the video.

"i ask each one of you to stay well, stay safe and we will get through this together very soon."

The campaign, started by indiana governor eric holcomb and indianapolis mayor joe hogsett on april 2, uses the hashtag #inthistogether and promotes social distancing and community support.

The campaign works to drive home the fact that to keep hoosiers healthy and return the state to normal, we must stay home.

Mayor bennett released the first video, which was followed by craig and then several others featuring business leaders from the community.

More videos will be released in the coming week, and members of the community are encouraged to create their own and post using the same hashtag #inthistogether.

Moderator asks: and while we are talking about the community let's talk about our healthcare community.

This topic and question is a good time to note that both local hospitals, union hospital and terre haute regional are working tirelessly to ensure the safety and health of our community.

As a united partnership for our community, both steve holman, the ceo of union and nathan vooys, the ceo of regional have come together to issue a joint statement to be used here tonight.

[take fs] "your safety and comfort always come first.

At union and regional hospitals, patient safety and comfort have always been our top priority.

[take fs] with the recent covid-19 pandemic, we understand the concerns you may have about coming to a medical facility.

We want you to know that we have intensified our already rigorous protocols and precautions to ensure the safety of our patients, visitors, and staff.

[take fs] as you return to our care, you can be sure that both regional and union are fully prepared with: - a highly clean environment - expert caregivers - plenty of ppe (personal protective equipment) - the latest medical equipment [take fs] we want everyone to feel confident that our new procedures will allow patients to once again seek the treatment needed without increased risks of covid-19."

[take fs] talk about our healthcare community's response to this pandemic.

Mayor says: union and regional are both great partners in responding to this pandemic and making sure the community stays safe.

They've been on it from the beginning.

Moderator asks: we know this is going to hit lots of people in terre haute and throughout the west central indiana region central the west throughout haute and people in terre hit lots of this is going to asks: we know moderator beginning.

On it from the they've been stays safe.

Community sure the and making this pandemic responding to partners in both great regional are union and mayor says: this pandemic.

Response to community's healthcare talk about our [take fs] covid-19."

Risks of covid-19."

[take fs] talk about our healthcare community's response to this pandemic.

Mayor says: union and regional are both great partners in responding to this pandemic and making sure the community stays safe.

They've been on it from the beginning.

Moderator asks: we know this is going to hit lots of people in terre haute and throughout the west central indiana region hard.

Unemployment claims have soared and lay-offs are high.

[take fs] the united way of the wabash valley and wabash valley community foundation are have launched a united relief fund and utilities have suspended shut-offs but where else would you refer individuals who are struggling to reach out to?

Mayor says: moderator asks: moderator mayor says: reach out to?

Struggling to who are individuals refer would you but where else shut-offs suspended utilities have fund and a united relief have launched foundation are community wabash valley valley and of the wabash the united way [take fs] offs are high.

Soared and lay-claims have unemployment hard.

Unemployment hard.

Indiana region central the west throughout haute and people in terre hit lots of this is going to asks: we know moderator beginning.

On it from the they've been on it from the beginning.

Moderator asks: we know this is going to hit lots of people in terre haute and throughout the west central indiana region hard.

Unemployment claims have soared and lay-offs are high.

[take fs] the united way of the wabash valley and wabash valley community foundation are have launched a united relief fund and utilities have suspended shut-offs but where else would you refer individuals who are struggling to reach out to?

Mayor says: moderator asks: we're hearing a lot of questions from the small business community [take fs] especially local restaurants.

What words of support would you offer them?

Mayor says: [notes:keep up live bug] moderator asks: [take fs] we have a question from christine she asks when will restrictions on the opening of hair and nail salons be lifted?

Do you think they will be permitted to open in a "first phase"... and once they are open what criteria do you see being put in place for those businesses moving forward?

Mayor says: we are following guidance from the state.

You know, the governor does expect to reopen the economy in phases..

He's coordinating with other governors in the region and we will certain follow the guidance from state officials [notes:keep live bug up] moderator asks: [take fs] a major component of our economy, especially here in downtown terre haute, is higher education.

Mayor says: [notes:keep up mayor says: education.

Mayor says: [notes:keep up live bug] moderator asks: we received a large amount of questions about finances, including the finances, about of questions large amount we received a asks: moderator live bug] [notes:keep up future... educate the created way to to find a newly you are going important... you are going to find a newly created way to educate the future... [notes:keep up live bug] moderator asks: we received a large amount of questions about finances, including the finances, about of questions large amount we received a asks: