Rampavement

The ‘Reopen NC Movement’ on Facebook has almost 65,000 members who are all petitioning to have the state reopened for businesses no later than April 29th. Governor Cooper’s stay at home order was very proactive in the beginning and we believe it did the job to help flatten the curve of the impact the Coronavirus could’ve had in North Carolina. However, we believe it is time to be proactive about ensuring the vitality of the state’s economy. If things continue to go the way that they are, we can risk losing every small business in North Carolina.

Businesses like RAM Pavement, who are still open and considered essential have also joined the fight to reopen businesses in North Carolina. Businesses not allowed to operate are our clients and friends and we want them to know that we stand with them during this time. This is a situation that will create a ripple effect and eventually even the businesses who are considered essential will be affected because we all depend on each other. 

Rob Miller is proud to be in support of the Reopen NC movement because as a business owner and parent, he has an obligation to over 60 families and he wants to do everything he can to care for his employees. Rob recently applied for and was granted a PPP loan from the federal government. If you’d like to know more about his experience which he describes as stressful, click here.

Governor Cooper’s stay at home order currently ends on April 29th and he states they will use health data to ease restrictions going into May. These include testing availability, hospital capacity, positive cases, deaths, etc. However, there are still a lot of questions about when we can get back to work, when the restrictions will end and what are the plans to get the economy back to where it was before the pandemic. 

Dr. John Connaughton, Barings professor of financial economics at UNC Charlotte, believes states with lower infection rates like North Carolina can begin to reopen some businesses. Our aim should be to balance safety against the risk of the economy collapsing and taking years to recover. We encourage and support the recommendations and guidelines of social distancing but we also feel there should be a more proactive approach to creating a bright and positive future for the residents of North Carolina.

We can take a stand by reaching out to Governor Cooper, local senators & representatives, county commissioners, mayors, sheriffs and other local leaders. We encourage you to be polite and follow safety guidelines if you are choosing to take part in protests. We ARE making a difference and creating the future we deserve.