The Atlantic County Board of Chosen Freeholders has unanimously adopted Resolution 384, which urges Gov. Phil Murphy to reopen businesses in New Jersey.

The bipartisan resolution adopted Aug. 18 cites the New Jersey Business Coalition’s Recovery and Reinvention Framework 2.0 and comments from Atlantic County Executive Dennis Levinson. The Atlantic County Board of Chosen Freeholders is the first group of elected officials to pass a resolution in support of the New Jersey Business Coalition’s efforts.

“Our elected officials are hearing the business community’s pain points and we applaud their bipartisan support of the Coalition’s efforts to responsibly reopen business,” said Michael Chait, president of the Greater Atlantic City Chamber.

“These businesses have incurred significant, additional operational costs related to PPE, take-out packaging, and tenting – all while losing an enormous portion of their seasonal revenue which carries them through the offseason. Outdoor dining will soon lose its appeal as the summer is ending. We need to responsibly move indoors for the long-term survival of the restaurant industry and maybe our region.”

Frank Formica, chairman of the Atlantic County Board of Chosen Freeholders, echoed Chait’s comments.

“The Governor’s decision to not reopen indoor dining in Atlantic County will be a life-and-death decision for many long-standing and iconic restaurants,” Formica said. “The administration has an opportunity to save these businesses. A decision to not reopen is also a decision that will permanently close a number of these time-honored, family-owned small businesses.”

The New Jersey Business Coalition is hopeful that additional counties will follow the Atlantic County Freeholders’ resolution and support the data-driven framework.

The New Jersey Business Coalition, a collection of more than 100 leading business and nonprofit groups throughout the state including NJBIA, will continue to call for a regional approach to the reopening of New Jersey’s economy. New Jersey has seen the flattening of the curve with improved COVID-19 case numbers, but its economic health is still lagging.

African American Chamber of Commerce of New Jersey, Inc.

American Camp Association NY/NJ

New Jersey Camps Government Affairs Project

American Council of Engineering Companies of New Jersey

American Physical Therapy Association of New Jersey

Bernards Township Regional Chamber of Commerce

Burlington County Regional Chamber of Commerce

Cape May County Chamber of Commerce

Capital Region Minority Chamber of Commerce

Chamber of Commerce of Greater Philadelphia

Chamber of Commerce Southern New Jersey

Commerce and Industry Association of New Jersey

Downtown New Jersey

Early Childhood Education Advocates

Eastern Monmouth Area Chamber of Commerce

Employers Association of NJ

Fuel Merchants Associates of NJ

Garden State Pharmacy Owners, Inc

Global Business Alliance

Gloucester County Chamber of Commerce

Greater Atlantic City Chamber of Commerce

Greater NJ Motorcoach Association

Greater Toms River Chamber of Commerce

Greater Westfield Area Chamber of Commerce

Healthcare Institute of NJ

Hoboken Chamber of Commerce

Home Care & Hospice Association of New Jersey

Home Health Services Association of New Jersey

Hudson County Chamber of Commerce

Hunterdon County Chamber of Commerce

Insurance Council of New Jersey

International Health, Racquet and Sportsclub Association

Jersey Shore Partnership

Mahwah Regional Chamber of Commerce

Marine Trades Association of New Jersey

Middlesex County Regional Chamber of Commerce

Meadowlands Chamber

Monmouth Ocean Development Council

Morris County Chamber of Commerce

NAIOP-NJ

National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB)

Newark Alliance

Newark Regional Business Partnership

New Jersey Asphalt Pavement Association

New Jersey Association of Osteopathic Physicians and Surgeons

New Jersey Business & Industry Association

New Jersey Campground Owners and Outdoor Lodging Association

New Jersey Chemistry Council

New Jersey Civil Justice Institute

New Jersey Coalition of Automotive Retailers

New Jersey Concrete and Aggregate Association

New Jersey Dental Association

New Jersey Gasoline-Convenience-Automotive Association

New Jersey Hotel and Lodging Industry Association

New Jersey Independent Electrical Contractors Association

New Jersey Liquor Store Alliance

New Jersey Manufacturing Extension Program, Inc.

New Jersey Motor Truck Association

New Jersey Pharmacists Association

New Jersey Podiatric Medical Society

New Jersey Realtors

New Jersey Restaurant & Hospitality Association

New Jersey Retail Merchants Association

New Jersey Salon and Spa Coalition

New Jersey Self Insurers Association

New Jersey Society of Certified Public Accountants

New Jersey State Chamber of Commerce

New Jersey State Funeral Directors Association

New Jersey State Veterans Chamber of Commerce

New Jersey Tourism Industry Association

New Jersey Utilities Association

New Jersey Warehousemen & Movers Association

New Jersey Utilities Association

North Jersey Jewish Business Alliance

Ocean City Chamber of Commerce

Princeton Mercer Regional Chamber of Commerce

Recreational Fishing Alliance

Salem County Chamber of Commerce

Somerset County Business Partnership

Southern Ocean County Chamber of Commerce

Statewide Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of NJ

Sussex County Chamber of Commerce

The United Boatmen of N.J.

Union Township Chamber of Commerce

Washington Borough BID