Talkeetna Chamber of Commerce looks ahead amidst COVID-19 pandemic

At their regularly scheduled Zoom meeting on Wednesday, the Talkeetna Chamber of Commerce discussed how to safely begin re-opening to the public.

Todd Smolden, the Director of the Mat-Su Valley Office of Governor Michael Dunleavy, attended the meeting. He stated that they are implementing a five phase approach to reopening, with the goal of beginning a new phase every two weeks.  He said, “We’re in Phase One, with the recent reopening of optional medical procedures and expanding the restrictions for public gatherings to twenty people.  Phase Two might see the restrictions go to forty or fifty people.  A goal is that the Farmers’ Market happen with social distancing practices.”

Bill Rodwell, President of the Chamber, reminded the group, “We have to acknowledge that there is a wide range of experiences and perceptions with regard to Covid-19 and that, while we’re not in the same boat, we’re in the same stream.”

Casey Ressler of the Mat-Su Convention and Visitors Bureau (MSCVB) said, “All of the research indicates that in-state travel will lead the recovery.  We are working hard to nail down an in-state marketing campaign so that tourist destinations will have a common message to the public.”

Chamber members also discussed placing a Covid-19 update message on their website with a reminder of current government mandates and a list of what Chamber member businesses are open and what businesses are not.

Members pressed for guidelines on what to tell potential customers who try to make reservations for later in the summer.  One member said, “You can’t argue the fact that people will be coming.  How do we approach it?”

The consensus was that the Chamber will present and follow the guidelines suggested by Dr Zink, Alaska’s Chief Medical Officer, and that, subject to her recommendations, some business models might have to change.

This story was supported in part by a grant from the Mat-Su Health Foundation for Covid Response.