Lankering: Basalt businesses just emerged from crisis; now another
Letter to the editor
The stresses, challenges, and obstacles that we experienced in the last three years have been brutal. Many of those stresses went beyond financial issues. Whether they were personal or financial, it has been an exhausting and trying time. Some may have questioned if they were going to be able to make it through.
It seems as though we may be coming out of that period, that there is a light at the end of the tunnel, and it’s not a train.
Small businesses were hit extremely hard. There was the gamut than ran from shutting down, loss of business, increases costs, and employee challenges.
Perhaps the biggest impact is the psycho-emotional affects people have experienced. This affects many areas of life.
When people experience extreme stress and trauma, their brains go into a survival mode. PTSD is devastating. People can have challenges just dealing with life. This impacts many areas of one’s health. Not only can stress make one sick. Some may also acknowledge that it can kill.
Businesses in downtown Basalt are feeling like they are just coming out of this brutal period. Just when they thought they would be able to have a normal summer season, the busy summer season may be severely impacted.
The town does have a financial responsibility as well as consideration for the psycho-emotional well-being of the businesses and guests during the busiest time of the year.
I hope that health, including the psycho-emotional issues, have their proper consideration in the downtown project.
Dr. Tom Lankering
Basalt