RAPID CITY, S.D. — The Rapid City Council approved first reading Sunday night of an ordinance to put restrictions on local businesses and gathering spaces in response to COVID-19.
Allender says his request follows the Sunday announcement that Beadle County saw 6 cases of COVID-19 and Governor Kristi Noem says community spread is possible there.
The Centers for Disease Control recommends closing businesses when evidence of community spread is present and Allender says it is “fair to assume community spread is happening.”
Allender says the ordinance calls for places “with public consumption” or “on site gathering” to close to on site patrons. However, he does encourage those types of businesses to get creative, such as offering curbside or delivery services to continue during this time.
Recreational spaces like health clubs, theaters, music, and indoor sporting venues would close during this time.
Essential businesses like grocery stores, retail stores, drug stores, and food pantries are not included in the ordinance and are able to continue business. Crisis shelter and soup kitchens would remain open as well. Allender says the goal is to keep the community safe.
With the passage of first reading, a second reading is required before the ordinance can go into effect. A second meeting is scheduled for Friday, March 27 at 6 p.m. in the Rapid City Common Council Chambers. The Mayor says businesses shouldn’t wait until Friday to begin following these guidelines because doing so would be “foolish and putting customers at risk.”
Allender urges citizens to continue to exercise “social distancing” and suggests the practice is not being taken seriously in the area.
“This is not being taken seriously and we know this by walking into certain establishments and seeing people sitting in every available seat. This is not the way to keep up safe in the future.”
Given that grocery stores and drug stores are set to remain open, Allender says the public does not need to go out and purchase emergency supplies because grocery stores will remain
open for our needs. He says there is nothing disrupting those supplies.
If it eventually passes, the ordinance could remain in effect for sixty days after passage but the ordinance itself mandates the closures through Wednesday, April 8.
The council has the ability to extend the closures at any time.
