CARLISLE, Pa. — How would you like to sit at a table-for-2 on a street outside a restaurant?
Perhaps you want to take-out and eat dinner at a nearby park?
Maybe you just want to enjoy a 6-pack while walking along city streets?
These are all possibilities in Carlisle once Cumberland County enters the "yellow" phase of Governor Tom Wolf's reopening plan Friday, according to borough Mayor Tim Scott.
"People in general just want to get out, go outside, meet up with friends again," said Mayor Scott (D). "I’m always concerned with how long citizens can take it."
Carlisle residents will only have to "take it" another few days, and then the borough will be allowed to slowly reopen its small businesses. However, the borough has lost $193,398 in projected revenue as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, and local businesses and restaurants are looking at ways to generate some of that lost income.
"We’ve gotten good at this. We know what needs to be done," Mayor Scott said. "We’re still delivering services albeit a little different these days. We need to come up with creative ways to reach folks as far as our services are concerned."
Among the ideas being discussed include closing down some city streets to allow restaurants to set up tables outside and serve customers outdoors. Under the governor's stay-at-home guidelines, even into the yellow phase, restaurants are only allowing take-out and delivery services, no dine-in eating.
Another idea is to loosen restrictions on allowing commercial activity in borough parks, so businesses can have pop-up operations.
Mayor Scott is even considering relaxing borough laws on open containers, so people could grab a drink from a Carlisle bar and walk around town enjoying an alcoholic beverage.
"Of course, we'd check with legal counsel to see if this would run afoul of any of the governors stay-at-home guidelines and social distancing," Scott said. "This is just to give businesses an opportunity to take advantage of everything there is to offer in order to stay afloat, bring customers back, and reignite the downtown."
Mayor Scott says Carlisle council already approved a delay on real estate tax collection in the borough until August 31. Borough leaders are also looking into the possible of a grant/loan program, which would distribute $5,000 cash to businesses which reside in the city and whose owners live in the city.
Cumberland County will become one of 50 Pennsylvania counties to enter the next phase of the governor's reopening plan on Friday, May 22. Adams, Juniata, Mifflin, Perry, and York Counties will also enter the yellow phase Friday, as well.