Cape May County Assembles Business Recovery Task Force

CAPE MAY COUNTY, NJ — As the new coronavirus hits businesses hard, Cape May County officials offered a way to help. Officials created a Business Recovery Task Force at Tuesday's freeholder meeting.

The Task Force is still in its early stages. The committee will help businesses navigate through information about federal and state aid and present potential funding opportunities.

Freeholder Vice-Director Leonard Desiderio and Freeholder Will Morey will lead the committee. Both own businesses in Cape May County, and Morey also serves as liaison to the County's economic-development efforts.

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“I have been talking daily to business owners where I live in Sea Isle City and from across the County," Desiderio said. "We hear their concerns and we will find a way to help.”

The County hasn't yet announced members of the committee. The Task Force will have between seven and nine members. Officials will release more information about the Task Force as it becomes public.

The Cape May County Health Department has reported 187 cases as of Thursday morning, including 17 people cleared off quarantine and 10 deaths.

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The economic downfall connected to the coronavirus isn't exclusive to Cape May County. But many towns, including Ocean City, may face unique challenges because of economies centered around summer tourism.

A Brookings Institution analysis shows the "COVID-19 recession" could hit Ocean City harder than almost anywhere in the United States. According to the study, 29.7 percent of Ocean City's jobs in 2019 fell into the aforementioned industries.

Nationally, the Brookings Institution determined that 16.5 percent of jobs fall into those industries. Read more: Ocean City May Be Among Worst Hit By Recession Amid Coronavirus

Related article: How Coronavirus Could Impact Summer Business In Ocean City

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