Sept. 4, 2020 – The Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce, the Chattanooga Tourism Co., Associated General Contractors of East Tennessee, the Home Builders Association of Greater Chattanooga, Greater Chattanooga REALTORS and the Chattanooga Regional Manufacturers Association support extending the Hamilton County mask mandate so the Chattanooga community can continue doing business and serving visitors safely while lowering risk of COVID-19 exposure.
“The more safely our members can do business and serve our community, the shorter their path to economic recovery,” said Christy Gillenwater, President & CEO, Chattanooga Chamber of Commerce. “Data is showing that areas with mask mandates see less transmission than those without.”
“For visitors and the community members they interact with, the mask mandate increases safety, which is of the utmost importance to the Chattanooga Tourism Co.,” said Barry White, CEO, Chattanooga Tourism Co. “It also helps support our local economy and our community’s tourism and hospitality jobs. Data from Destination Analysts shows us the vast majority of visitors want to travel to destinations that have a mask mandate in place.”
“We believe that Mayor Coppinger’s intention is to have the best interest of the community at heart by extending the mask mandate,” said Leslie Gower, Executive Director, Associated General Contractors of East Tennessee. “AGC East Tennessee stands behind initiatives that keep the construction industry working while protecting the health and welfare of our workforce.”
“The extension of the mask mandate further supports the commitment manufacturers have to safety, as the industry continues to prioritize safe workplaces throughout this challenging time,” said Megan King, President & CEO, Chattanooga Regional Manufacturers Association.
“The Home Builders Association of Greater Chattanooga’s Government Affairs Committee voted unanimously to support Mayor Coppinger’s decision to extend the mask mandate,” said Doug Fisher, Executive Officer, Home Builders Association of Greater Chattanooga. “We view this order, not as the government trying to tell us all what to do but rather as a method to keep our economy moving forward.”
Christy Auld, Commercial Services and Government Affairs Director, Greater Chattanooga REALTORS said, “Greater Chattanooga REALTORS continues to provide guidance and tools to conduct business while practicing social distancing and protecting the community we serve.”
In recent surveys of Chamber member businesses:
85% (219 people) of respondents feel wearing masks increases public confidence
84% (271 people) support the recent mask mandate
85% (216 people) of those who supported the mandate support an extension
Hamilton County Mayor Jim Coppinger has extended the County’s mask mandate until Oct. 8.
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