St. Tammany Economic Recovery & Resiliency Advisory Council
On Monday, April 20, St. Tammany Parish President Mike Cooper announced the formation of the St. Tammany Economic Recovery and Resiliency Advisory Council, to establish the Live Safe. Work Safe. Shop Safe. Action Plan and re-opening strategy following the April 30, 2020 expiration of the concurrent Stay-at-Home Orders for the state and parish. Cooper tapped Chris Masingill, CEO of St. Tammany Corporation to spearhead the two phases of the Advisory Council, and he has reached out to local hospitals for their advisement as the strategy is assembled.
“We are looking ahead to prepare to move forward with the health and economic recovery in our Parish. We have worked hard as a community to slow the spread of COVID-19. As we plan to gradually re-open, I want to remind everyone that we need to stay the course over the next ten days,” Cooper said. “We each have the choice to either detract from our progress or to contribute to our recovery. Let’s all choose to move toward recovery, so our plan can be implemented.”
Cooper went on to say, “I am grateful for our community where so many people from across every sector are willing to step up and come to the table to find solutions and offer their time and expertise to contribute to our recovery.”
“We are living through unprecedented times; both for public safety and economic conditions for our communities and businesses. We are proud to be asked by President Cooper to help lead the efforts to coordinate St. Tammany’s back to work plan that balances the health of our people and the health of our economy,” says Chris Masingill. “We will be working with all sectors of our economy and healthcare experts to make sure we have the appropriate plan in place that prioritizes public health and safety as we gradually re-open our business operations under a new normal. We take our role and responsibility to the people of St. Tammany very seriously and the St. Tammany Corporation will continue to dedicate its focus and energy to protect, grow and respond to the needs of St. Tammany so we can continue to be the destination of choice for our people, our businesses and our communities to thrive.”
Members of the Advisory Council are:
Sandy Badinger – Chief Executive Officer, Slidell Memorial Hospital and Ochsner Northshore
Rhonda Bagby – Market Vice-President, Humana Health, Chairwoman, Northshore Business Council Board of Directors
Susan Bonnett Bourgeois – Chief Executive Officer, Northshore Community Foundation
Tiffany Carrasco – CAO and Deputy Chief, St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office
Alan Case – Vice-President, Lowry-Dunham, Case & Vivien Insurance Agency and Board Member, St. Tammany Chamber of Commerce
Joan Coffman – Chief Executive Officer, St. Tammany Parish Hospital
Kyle Cooper – Cooper Homes and President, Northshore Homebuilders Association
Bonnie Eades – Executive Director, Northshore Business Council
Chief Chris Kaufmann – St. Tammany Parish Fire Protection District #1 and President, St. Tammany Fire Chiefs Association
Marty Mayer – President and Chief Executive Officer, Stirling Properties and Chairman, St. Tammany Corporation Board of Commissioners
Gretchen McKinney – Owner & Principal Consultant, incHRement, LLC and Vice Chairwoman, St. Tammany Society for Human Resource Management Board of Directors
Mark Myers – Attorney, Resolutions by Mark A. Myers, P.L.C., Chairman, St. Tammany Parish Tourist & Convention Commission and Chairman, Harbor Center Board of Directors
Donna O’Daniels – Chief Executive Officer, St. Tammany Parish Tourist & Convention Commission
Lacey Osborne – Chief Executive Officer, St. Tammany Chamber of Commerce
Dr. Charles Preston – St. Tammany Parish Coroner
Mike Tillman – Vice-President of Global Strategy & Raw Materials, Rain Carbon and Vice-President, St. Tammany Corporation Board of Commissioners
In the first phase, the Advisory Council is tasked with developing short-term re-opening framework to address the needs of St. Tammany Parish, while at the same time, taking into consideration the health and safety of St. Tammany residents and the needs of our entire region. The Advisory Council will use standards put forth by the White House, the Governor’s Office and other industry-related resources, to draft recommendations including: the timelines for the phased re-opening of the business and the recommended protocols for businesses using state and federal guidelines as well as industry recommendations. During phase one, the Council will include representatives from both the private and public sectors, including the private and healthcare and hospitals, public agencies, elected officials, non-profit organizations, and the business community.
As phase two unfolds, the Council will be expanded to include a broader spectrum of business, healthcare, and community partners to plan long-term recovery strategies.
The Advisory Council is expected to submit preliminary guidelines for phase one to President Cooper by Friday, April 24, 2020.