Mahwah Mayor: Reopening Will Be 'Unquestionably Positive'

MAHWAH, NJ — Though Mayor John Roth won't be offering projections or estimates regarding the reopening of non-essential business, he does believe the community will be positively effected.

"Unquestionably it will be positive," said Roth. "Positive for the business affected and positive for the consumer and clients of these companies."

Per Gov. Phil Murphy's executive order, announced on Wednesday, May 13, non-essential retail like clothing and department stores can reopen, but only for online and phone ordering, as well as curbside pick up.

No customers will be allowed back inside the stores, according to Murphy.

Non-essential construction will also be allowed to resume, as of 6 a.m. on Monday, May 18.

Though Roth figures the effect on businesses will be positive, to what extent he is unsure. "It is impossible to predict or estimate the magnitude of the impact a gradual re-opening will have on Mahwah’s economy," he said.

According to Roth, the municipality is currently studying whether they have a role to play in providing assistance for the reopening. As of now, however, he said the individual business owners will control how they promote them.

He added that as the process of reopening the economy unfolds, Mahwah will continue to monitor the prominence of COVID-19. "We want to make certain that the recent decline in the rate of growth continues," said Roth.

As of the most recent data, Mahwah has a cumulative total of 254 coronavirus cases.