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The governor will be signing an executive order to create a "boots on the ground" advisory council that will bring leaders from various industries, communities and faith-based groups together -- helping New Jersey bounce back from the COVID-19 shutdown.
The council will work in conjunction with New Jersey's Restart and Recovery Commission and will begin meeting next week, the governor said.
"This is where the various voices of those on the ground... will come together to advise us on the issues of the very specific and local levels," Murphy said.
"This is a boots-on-the-ground, real world approach to how we move forward."
Comprised of local business owners, education officials and faith-based leaders, the council is "as smart, diverse and hardworking as New Jersey's economy was before the pandemic," Murphy said, "which is why they can help us get on and stay on our road back."
The council will be helmed by Secretary of Higher Education Dr. Zakiya Smith Ellis, NJ Economic Development Authority CEO Tim Sullivan and Choose NJ President and CEO Jose Lozano.
"We understand that we need a smart and granular approach to recovery," Murphy said.
"Reopening the restaurants and boardwalk shops down the Shore is far different from restarting retail in downtown Morristown, Lambertville, or Collingswood, or anywhere else."
The council will help state officials gather the local intelligence needed to get the economy running again and create the framework for coping with our new long-term economic realities, Murphy said.
Murphy in late April announced a six-step "Road Back to Recovery," a step-by-step guide to reopening the state.
In order to reopen, New Jersey must see a sustained reduction in new coronavirus cases and hospitalizations.
As of Friday, hospitals were still caring for "far more patients than they would be otherwise in any other year," the governor said.
"The stress on our health care system, while certainly lessening, is still there. We have the power to push these numbers down further."
New Jersey had 1,985 new cases of coronavirus reported overnight Thursday, bringing the state total to 135,454.
This is a developing story. Check back for more.
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