MONROE — The City of Monroe’s newly formed ad-hoc committee to address issues related to the COVID-19 pandemic met for the first time April 27 to brainstorm and define goals.

The focus of the committee is helping local businesses.

“The driving force is our downtown Square ... how we survive and come out of this. That’s why I created it,” Mayor Louis Armstrong said.

Monroe Fire Chief Dan Smits said it was important not to “recreate the wheel.”

“We do know that a lot of the manufacturers ... have developed their own plans. They’re specialists,” he said. “I don’t milk a cow, so I surely don’t want to tell the dairy industry how to get back into business.”

Suggestions for potential ways to help local businesses includ offering relief loans, granting credit for utility bills and waiving or reducing fees for liquor licenses and other licenses issued by the city.

Alder Brooke Bauman, chair of the committee, said that in addition to local businesses, she wants to see nonprofit organizations get the support and resources they need.

“A lot of our community members rely on the services that these organizations (provide). I think they’re kind of lost in all this,” she said.

The committee discussed the best ways to get information to local businesses, via a webpage or hotline, as well as ways to hear from businesses.

“What are the businesses saying? I want to hear what the masses are saying, and really see what we can do to help, because that’s what we’re here for,” Bauman said, adding that she’s heard confusion among the public and businesses on how to interpret emergency orders from the state.

“I think we need to kind of simplify that for them,” she said.

She said she anticipates the committee will have work to do long after the “Safer at Home” order is lifted.

“It’s going to be a long recovery for a lot of these businesses and organizations,” Bauman said.

The next meeting of the ad-hoc committee is 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 5. It’s accessible via phone and online video conference.

The committee is comprised of Chief of Police Fred Kelley, Monroe Fire Chief Dan Smits, Facilities and Logistics Director Rob Jacobson and alders Robert Driver, Brooke Bauman and Kelly Hermanson, along with Cara Carper, executive director of Green County Development Corporation, and Melissa Even, executive director of the Chamber of Commerce.