City Council Eases COVID-19 Limits on Milbank Business Operations
City Council Eases COVID-19 Limits
on Milbank Business Operations
The Milbank City Council voted unanimously to approve Resolution 05-01-20 during a special meeting of the board conducted Friday, May 1, at noon via video and phone conference. Including the board members and city officials, 52 people were logged into the public meeting.
The approval of the resolution, which became effective Sunday, May 3, at 11:59 p.m., rescinded earlier resolutions from March 24 and April 13. The new action also allows for businesses to operate more openly than they had been able to for the past three weeks, beginning on Monday, May 4, at 12:01 a.m.
However, Mayor Pat Raffety warned, “If we do have an outbreak (of COVID-19) here that threatens the community, we will revisit this action, if needed.”
Officials with the city stressed that the action is not intended to encourage businesses to reopen or expand services that have been restricted. Instead, the action allows the business owners the opportunity to return to more open business practices at their own discretion. But if they do so, the businesses must abide by the guidelines in the resolution.
“I think Milbank and Grant County have done a great job keeping COVID-19 at bay, but we will have cases; there’s no doubt about that,” said Scott Hoeke, councilman. “If we do what’s right, we’ll get through it. I encourage everyone to follow the guidelines.”
Businesses where people tend to gather, such as bars, restaurants and clubs that offer food and beverages, including alcohol, for on-site consumption must follow the city’s protocol. The protocol includes:
• Groups of more than one person should be limited to those residing within the same household
• Individuals or groups not residing within the same household should maintain six feet of spacing between serving and waiting areas indoor or outdoor
• Tables and bar stools should be spaced out such that a 36-square-foot radius exists from another group or individual to adhere to the six-feet spacing from those not within the same household
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines should be adhered to in sanitizing serving areas and tables between customers including, but not limited to, areas such as salad bars, buffets, video lottery machines, and other entertainment devices
The resolution encourages all recreational facilities, public pools, health clubs, athletic facilities and theaters, including skating rinks, casinos, bowling alleys, movie theaters and music or entertainment venues, to maintain the six-foot distance between individuals or groups that are not residing within the same household similar to those outlined above. In addition, CDC guidelines should be adhered to in sanitizing all serving areas and all applicable equipment or entertainment devices between customers.
Robin Patnoe, representing the Lantern Inn Supper Club, asked for an explanation of the terms “should” and “shall” in the resolution. She was told that “should” is a suggestion and “shall” means “you must.”
“I think the business owners should understand that just because we are allowing them to open, doesn’t mean we are encouraging it,” Councilman Steve Wiener said. “It also doesn’t mean that people have to go out.”
The Milbank City offices within the Milbank Visitor Center remain closed to the public. Officials will revisit the situation weekly.
Additional critical points in the resolution include that all visitors and citizens of Milbank must continue to adhere to any current active and future executive orders issued by Governor Kristi Noem. “As we try to move into a new normal, we must all be vigilant,” Raffety said. “It’s not just about businesses; it is about people as individuals, and the community as a whole.”
To limit the spread of COVID-19, the resolution reminds the public to
• Wash their hands with soap and water or use hand sanitizer, especially after touching frequently used items or surfaces
• Avoid touching their faces
• Sneeze or cough into a tissue, or the inside of their elbows
• Disinfect frequently used items and surfaces as much as possible
• Strongly consider using face coverings while in public
“Around here, people have been doing a good job, and they need to keep doing that,” Raffety said. “We really need to stress personal responsibility and personal accountability.”
The public also should continue to implement social distancing measures designed to stop the spread of the disease COVID-19. Such action includes all vulnerable individuals should continue to quarantine.
All individuals, when in public, should maximize physical distance from others by being at least six feet apart from those not within the same household.
Individuals who go out should avoid socializing in groups of more than 10 people in circumstances that do not readily allow for the appropriate physical distancing of at least six feet or more. And everyone should minimize non-essential travel and adhere to the CDC guidelines regarding isolation following travel.
“The reason we put some of these things in the resolution is to help make clear what the governor’s executive order is,” commented Joel Foster, councilman. “The citizens here have been doing a great job.”
The council will meet remotely for the regular monthly meeting on Monday, May 11, at 7 p.m.
The public can access the meeting via Zoom or by dialing in on one of the teleconference options.
To join the Zoom meeting, go to https://us02web.zoom.us/j/92426737134?pwd=eTlEWlpITXNZVWJuY2JIeVBtN2pSdz09
The meeting ID is 924 2673 7134, and the password is 028103.
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The meeting ID is 924 2673 7134, and the password is 028103.
Anyone with questions can call the city office at 605-432-9575.
~Holli Seehafer
