New Economic Recovery Taskforce Aims to Help Broken Arrow Recover from COVID-19 Pandemic
The City of Broken Arrow, Broken Arrow Economic Development Corporation (EDC) and Broken Arrow Chamber of Commerce formed “BA Rising: Economic Recovery Taskforce” to address how the city will strategically transition from disaster response to economic recovery.
They key objectives for the taskforce are to assess and forecast the current and future economic impact of COVID-19 in Broken Arrow and implement a plan to reopen the economy in a safe and strategic manner. Additionally, the taskforce will provide recovery resources to businesses and nonprofits as well as develop and deliver a roadmap to help unemployed and displaced workers get back to work. The taskforce will create industry cluster workgroups and work collaboratively with industry leaders to accomplish these objectives.
“Working with our business community, the BA Rising Economic Recovery Taskforce will help facilitate the reopening of our businesses and help find ways to get our economic engine going again” said Michael Spurgeon, City Manager.
Taskforce members include, Mayor Craig Thurmond, Spurgeon, Chamber and EDC President & CEO, Jennifer Conway, Broken Arrow Public School District Superintendent, Dr. Janet Dunlop, City Economic Development Manager, Norman Stephens, EDC Vice President, Darla Heller, Chamber Chairman, Alvin Bailey and EDC Chairman, Jim Beavers.
“Broken Arrow has done an excellent job in responding to the COVID-19 Crisis. Now, it is vital we move from responding to building the path to restart our economy in a safe manner. I believe we will rise even higher than before this crisis. Much of the planning has already begun with our city and schools, but bringing industry sectors, from manufacturing to nonprofits, to the table is an important step as each industry has been impacted in a different way. We will strive to make sure no one is left out of the recovery” said Conway.
