Gloucester County Republican Freeholder Candidates Say it’s Time To Smartly Reopen

It’s time state government stops picking winners and losers

MULLICA HILL – Gloucester County Republican freeholder candidates George W. Shivery, Jr., Chris Konawel and Nick DeSilvio said today it is time to “let commonsense prevail and smartly get the state reopened.”

“While we acknowledge there has been some progress made toward reopening, far too many folks are still out of work, still having issues with unemployment and struggling to pay their bills, as a state we have to do better.” George W. Shivery, Jr. said, “We can open more businesses. For example, barber shops and beauty salons could safely reopen while following social distancing guidelines by moving chairs further apart and wearing masks. These businesses are licensed and sanitary, sitting in a barber’s chair you can see equipment, combs, scissors and such, soaking in disinfectant.”

Chris Konawel added, “The state shouldn’t be picking winners and losers. Deciding what businesses are essential and non-essential hasn’t appeared to be a scientific exercise. Our mom-and-pop shops are suffering and many are not set-up to provide curbside pickup, many seniors who frequent these shops aren’t prepared to find their websites, place an order online and then go pick up the order. Our neighbors in Salem County were right to pass a bipartisan resolution calling on Governor Murphy to reopen businesses and return to normalcy.”

“Part of returning to normalcy means putting an end to deciding which businesses are essential and non-essential. I assure you, a non-essential business is essential to the employees of that business,” Nick DeSilvio said. “It makes no sense that one can take their dog for a haircut but can’t take their child for one. We, as a state, should be looking at what works elsewhere and what doesn’t. There is no partisan way to reopen our state. The fearmongering has to stop and we must let commonsense prevail and smartly get the state reopened.”