Bullock discusses reopening economy, out-of-state visitors

Gov. Steve Bullock said Montana is in better shape than most other states as it begins to reopen its economy, but said “we’re certainly not out of the woods” during a virtual discussion with the Kalispell Chamber of Commerce on Tuesday afternoon.

As the state begins phase one of its reopening plan, with “Main Street and retail” stores allowed to open in a limited capacity on Monday, Bullock said he cannot set a timeline for moving on to the next phase.

He said the state will not know how the virus has responded to phase one – which includes a partial reopening of restaurants, bars, breweries and casinos on May 4 – for about two to three weeks.

“I recognize it’s not the answer any of us want,” Bullock said.

“The information we’re receiving today is in relation to a six- to 14-day lag,” he said, and he believes the state will continue to see additional cases. But Bullock said if there is a spike in cases in one part of the state, it should not define the actions of every community in the state.

Bullock added he wants to continue increasing the state’s testing capacity, while local health departments will perform contact tracing for individual cases.

As the area’s traditional tourist season draws closer, Bullock said there is a real concern about an influx of out-of-state visitors choosing Montana as a destination because of the state’s low rates of the virus and virus deaths. He said the 14-day quarantine will remain in effect for out-of-state visitors, though there will not be any traditional or legal enforcement.

“We’re hoping Montanans and visitors to Montana will take this seriously,” the governor said.

He said National Guard members will remain at train stations and airports checking the temperatures of arrivals, while reader boards along highways entering the state will remind visitors about the 14-day quarantine directive.

Bullock said he has had discussions with Glacier National Park Superintendent Jeff Mow about reopening the park. “We want to work together to make sure we do this right,” Bullock said.

Bullock explained concerns about the park tied back to his concerns about out-of-state visitors, and he did not want the spillover of visitors into gateway communities resulting in local outbreaks. He suggested Glacier Park could reopen in phases.

“We don’t want to make the park’s infrastructure problems become our problems,” he said.

The governor addressed a question about seasonal workers coming from out-of-state, saying travelers arriving for work-related purposes do not have to quarantine but he hopes employers act responsibly.

“There’s obligations on employers to protect employees and customers,” Bullock said. “Make sure you’re not that business that puts Montana on a different path” toward increasing cases.

Bullock also addressed the state budget, saying the state was in a good position before the pandemic, with a $300 million cushion in the budget and a $100 million stabilization reserve. But just like every local government and business across the state, revenues will be down due to the pandemic.

He reminded the attendees that “Montana is in a much better position than other states,” though the $300 million may not be enough. But he said the federal government will be continuing discussions on how it can help states.

Bullock thanked all Montanans for their efforts in complying with his directives and keeping Montana at the lowest per-capita rate of COVID-19 in the nation. He said he hopes people continue to maintain the same vigilance as the state reopens.

“The actions we all take collectively in the upcoming weeks and months are going to define what happens in our state,” the governor said.

For more information on the state’s reopening plan, visit covid19.mt.gov.

Reporter Colin Gaiser may be reached at cgaiser@dailyinterlake.com