Blair maps plan to resume business

Task force formed to get county reopened at earliest opportunity

HOLLIDAYSBURG -- Blair County leaders are working on a plan to reopen closed businesses while hoping their efforts won't be put on hold by Gov. Tom Wolf's plan.

Based on Blair County's current COVID-19 statistics, the county's newly formed COVID-19 Economic Recovery Task Force has identified several goals to be met and used to advocate for a safe phased-in reopening.

By taking steps to meet those goals, the task force hopes to see Blair County among the counties or areas getting the earliest OK from the state on easing COVID-19-related restrictions.

"We not only have the data to do this, but we're also working on a plan," commissioners Chairman Bruce Erb said Friday. "So I'm advocating that they look at us earlier."

Wolf on Wednesday proposed a phased-in reopening of six regions defined by the state Department of Health -- each consisting of multiple counties -- that would gradually ease current restrictions keeping non-life sustaining businesses closed.

Because Blair County -- which had 19 confirmed COVID-19 cases total as of Friday -- is in a region with counties reporting hundreds of COVID-19 cases, county leaders are fearful that attempts to reopen Blair County businesses are going to remain on hold.

"If the state keeps us lumped in with Dauphin, Cumberland and York counties, we're not going to be moving into the next phase anytime soon," county Director of Public Safety Mark Taylor said Friday. The state reported Friday that Dauphin had 468 confirmed cases, Cumberland had 240 and York had 563.

If the state would look at Blair County by itself, Taylor said, then the case could made that it's time to move toward easing restrictions. The same goes if the state considered a smaller group of counties, Taylor said, such as Blair, Bedford, Fulton and Huntingdon.

"I'm not saying we're out of this yet," Taylor said. "But I would love the state to look at those local counties … because we could move into the yellow phase."

In the yellow phase, the state allows businesses with in-person operations and child care centers to reopen, with social distancing expected, along with cleaning guidelines to protect employees and patrons. In the current red phase, non-life-sustaining businesses remain closed.

Erb said he's not sure if the state's plan would require all counties in a region to following the same timetable for reopening. If that is the case, Erb said, it's possible that could change because changes have been commonplace in trying to address coronavirus-related matters.

"As they see that things can be done better, they're going to refine their plans," Erb said. "And when they do that, I think they'll see that Blair County is a county that should go first or at least among the earlier ones."

Altoona-Blair County Development Corp. President/CEO Stephen McKnight and Blair County Chamber of Commerce CEO Joe Hurd, are part of the newly formed task force.

"When the time comes to reopen, which must be sooner than later," McKnight said, "we need to be standing ready with a plan and that is what this task force can do."

"Too often," Hurd said, "the strategy that accompanies announcements that impact an entire community is reaction rather than anticipation. The formation of this task force gets the conversation started early so that little time is lost once the details come forward."

Hurd also praised the local community for efforts in restricting the spread of the coronavirus and at the same time, recognized that compliance with restrictions have come at a cost.

"Our economy has suffered immeasurably and too many of our businesses are barely holding on," Hurd said. "Whatever we can do as a task force should make a difference."

Erb and Taylor also praised the local community.

"Our citizens in Blair County have done a great job in following the rules," Erb said, "For the most part, they've been very observant, shown concern for their neighbors, concern about others. I think all that needs to be taken into account as we move forward."

Mirror Staff Writer Kay Stephens is at 946-7456. Mirror Staff Writer Walt Frank contributed to this report.

Recovery Task Force formed

The Blair County COVID-19 Economic Recovery Task Force's objectives include:

* Review all guidelines, criteria and timelines to reopen businesses in Blair County safely, quickly and effectively.

* Research and document diagnostic testing and patient capacity in the county.

* Share knowledge and draw upon expert opinions for safe health-related practices, social distancing, testing protocols and implementation.

* Collect information and clarify what is needed as it relates to approved antibody or other diagnostic testing.

* Identity and leverage all public and private sector funding sources for the purchase and implementation of antibody or other diagnostic testing.

* Develop and/or track strategies to implement such testing throughout the county.

* Identify and map assets/resources where such diagnostic testing is taking place in the county.

* Communicate and track the collection of information on testing approaches being undertaken either directly through the county or through private sector employers and hospitals.

* Ensure that testing data is being collected and communicated to the appropriate state and federal agencies.

* Advise and respond to all COVID-19 state/federal policy

recommendations as they develop.

Task force members are:

* Blair County Commissioner Bruce Erb.

* Blair County Director of Public Safety Mark Taylor.

* Blair County Chamber of Commerce CEO Joe Hurd.

* UPMC Altoona CEO Jan Fisher.

* Tyrone Regional Health Network CEO Anna M. Anna.

* Altoona Mayor Matt Pacifico.

* Altoona Fire Department Chief Tim Hileman.

* State Sen. Judy Ward, R-Blair.

* State Rep. Jim Gregory, R-Hollidaysburg.

* Penn State Altoona CEO Lori Bechtel-Wherry.

* Conemaugh Nason Medical Center CEO Tim Harclerode.

* U.S. Rep. John Joyce, R-13th District.

* Altoona-Blair County Development Corp. President/CEO Stephen McKnight.

From Mirror staff reports