LOS ANGELES COUNTY — Today, Chair Supervisor Kathryn Barger and the Board of Supervisors convened the fifth and final meeting of the Los Angeles County Economic Resiliency Task Force. The Task Force brought together 13 sector leads to provide input and develop strategic plans to support the safe reopening and recovery of L.A. County.
“The experts who served on the Economic Resiliency Task Force illuminated the impacts of the coronavirus on the long-term economic health of Los Angeles County,” Supervisor Barger said. “Their thoughtfulness and strategies provided much-needed clarity for our county to recover and for our communities to reconvene.”
The Task Force’s reports will serve as critical road maps as Los Angeles County continues to identify safe and sustainable options to allow residents, businesses, and organizations to return to work and to their communities. These reports were developed in consultation with working groups comprised of a broad range of sector interests with oversight from the Department of Public Health to ensure appropriate safety protocols. Task Force members represented a diverse group of industries, including small and large business, healthcare, labor, infrastructure, food, goods movement, arts and culture, entertainment and sports venues, digital media, non-profits, faith-based organizations, and education.
“At our first Task Force meeting, we learned unequivocally that the economic and sociological impacts created by the COVID-19 shutdown hurt our vulnerable populations the most,” Barger said. “It is incumbent on all of us as leaders, as patrons, and as community members to ensure that appropriate measures are in place to protect the public health of our region.”
Many of the recommendations produced by the sector work groups related to the County’s health officer orders, which have changed over time to allow for certain industries to reopen. At the conclusion of the meeting, the Task Force voted to adopt and refer a comprehensive report of the medium and long-term recommendations to the Board of Supervisors for their consideration. The Board of Supervisors and county departments will conduct an expedient and thorough review of the report to identify additional ways to support the county’s recovery.
“As we move forward toward recovery for our Los Angeles County communities and businesses, I remain committed to keeping my eyes fixed on our ultimate goal,” Barger said. “We must guide our county, our residents, and our economy through this crisis safely and sustainably as our healthcare heroes work toward treatment and a vaccine for this virus.”
At the conclusion of the meeting, Supervisor Barger directed staff to submit the final minutes of the Economic Resiliency Task Force to the Executive Officer of the Board for approval.
Additional information regarding the Economic Resiliency Task Force and the strategic plans developed by each sector lead can be found here.
The Task Force was created by Supervisors Barger and Solis through a board motion unanimously adopted on April 28, 2020. A copy of the motion can be found here.