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Show A-6 The Park Record Wed/Thurs/Fri, March 18-20, 2020 Deputies tasked Grocery stores grapple with demand with a rare duty Sheriff’s Office will enforce order that restricts businesses ALEXANDER CRAMER The Park Record Starting 5 p.m. Sunday evening, Summit County entered a new phase of its coronavirus response when it mandated restrictions on many of the area’s businesses, including the bars and restaurants that line Main Street and normally entice vacationers and locals throughout the late spring. Mandatory closures, once the stuff of wartime or science fiction movies, have become the new normal in many parts of the United States. It falls to the county’s law enforcement agencies to sort out how exactly to enforce the order, though, a task that has little precedent. “In my lifetime, nothing like this has ever happened,” said Summit County Sheriff’s Lt. Andrew Wright. Once the public health order was given by the local health officer, Wright explained, it was the responsibility of the Sheriff’s Office and municipal law enforcement agencies to make sure it was followed. Both Rich Bullough, the county’s local health officer and Health Department director, and County Manager Tom Fisher have broad emergency powers in the wake of declarations made last week. It was on Bullough’s authority, along with that of County Attorney Margaret Olson, that the business restrictions were put in place. Restaurants and bars are ordered closed except to provide take-out food service patrons must pick up outside the establishment. Violating the order is a class B misdemeanor, carrying a possibility of up to six months in jail and a fine of up to $1,000. Subsequent violations are class A misdemeanors, punishable by up to 364 days in jail and a fine of up to $2,500. Each day of continuing operation not in accordance with the order constitutes a separate offense, according to the order. Wright said it hasn’t come to that, with deputies doing the rounds and notifying businesses that are not in compliance. In general, businesses have been “more than willing to comply,” Wright said. The Sheriff’s Office has generally treated first offenses as a warning, while subsequent offenses might include a citation, Wright said. He added that the exact nature of who the deputies would cite and what they would be cited for are two questions that are still being worked through. He added that he had not heard of any businesses being cited as of Tuesday afternoon. “Our role as the Sheriff’s Office is really to support these orders and remind people that obeying these orders and showing a bit of respect and common courtesy will help in the long run,” Wright said. At a special Summit County Council meeting Monday, councilors stressed the importance of enforcing the order, especially in the early going. “I believe this is critical to health and safety and we have to enforce this order to the extent that we’re fully able to enforce the order,” said Councilor Roger Armstrong. “There will be temptations as days tick by for people to perhaps try to lessen the effect of this and circumvent it. ...I do believe we need full enforcement.” Armstrong also said that enforcement could include bringing public attention to businesses that violate the order as gatherings further the spread of COVID-19. “I think if you’re making a conscious decision to (violate the order), I think you have to bear the legal responsibilities, but (also) the moral and social responsibilities of that,” he said. Wright said the Sheriff’s Office has moved more resources to the coronavirus response and that deputies are visiting businesses to make sure they’re in compliance, but also to reassure the public that the community is still safe. He added that Sheriff Justin Martinez has been communicating with Sheriff’s Office personnel frequently. “The Sheriff instructed our deputies, No. 1, to be visible,” Wright said. “Community members and business partners, we’re here to help them, here to protect them, here to calm some of the anxiety and fear that people may have. And our role during this time obviously is to keep public order (and) keep the peace within our communities. And we’re seeing that so far.” Wright said that it appears that the area isn’t as busy as normal, but the office is taking extra precautions in light of the pandemic. Dispatchers are asking people whether they’re sick to inform a deputy before they respond to a call, Wright said, and deputies have been issued personal protective equipment. He said the Sheriff’s Office is used to being on the front lines of dangerous situations and that taking risks the general public might not is part of the job. “In law enforcement we’re very good at adapting to challenges,” Wright said. Park City restaurants that remain open The following restaurants are remaining open for curbside or delivery service following a Summit County order banning dine-in service in response to COVID-19. This list may not be comprehensive. 11 Hauz Authentic Jamaican Food, 435-200-8972 Cortona Italian Cafe, 435608-1373 Davanza’s, 435-649-2222 Eating Establishment, 435649-8284 Element Kitchen & Bakery, 435-731-8383 Escala Provisions Company, 435-615-4240 Este Pizza, 435-731-8970 Fairweather Natural Foods, 435-649-4561 Five5eeds, 435-901-8242 Freshies, 435-631-9861 Fuego Bistro and Pizzeria, 435-645-8646 Grub Steak, 435-649-8060 Handle, 435-602-1155 Harvest Park City, 435-6040463 Hearth and Hill, 435-2008840 Loco Lizard, 435-645-7000 Mustang, 435-658-3975 O’Shucks Bar & Grill, 435645-3999 Park City Chinese and Thai, 435-649-4000 Park City Coffee Roaster, 435-647-9097 Provisions, 435-649-0799 Red Banjo Pizza Parlour, 435-649-9901 Red Rock Junction, 435575-0295 Ritual Chocolate on Iron Horse Drive, 435-2008475 Riverhorse on Main, 435649-3536 Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse, 435-940-5070 Sammy’s Bistro, 435-2147570 Savoury Kitchen, 435-6081408 Shabu, 435-645-7253 tupelo, 435-615-7700 Tekila, 435-649-3097 Thai So Good, 435-5656989 Red Rock Junction, 435575-0295 Versante, 435-604-4012 Vessel Kitchen, order online Please reach out to Jeff Dempsey at jdempsey@ parkrecord.com if you would like your restaurant added to this list online. TANZI PROPST/PARK RECORD Shelves at The Market at Park City are emptying almost as soon as they’re restocked, but owner Mike Holm praised the community for remaining calm and civil in the face of a pandemic. Local owner says public has been patient, respectful JEFF DEMPSEY The Park Record Mike Holm, owner of The Market at Park City, barely had time to speak Monday morning. He and the rest of his staff were busy stocking shelves and sanitizing common areas, he said, and it’s been frantically busy since last week. “It feels like everything we get in is selling as quickly as we can stock it,” he said. “It’s been an onslaught. I’ve never seen a rush on grocery stores like we’re seeing now and I’ve been in this business 40 years.” Continued from A-1 Sweeping order vice, but cannot allow customers inside. Third-party delivery services like Uber Eats and Grubhub are not allowed. Restaurants were required to notify the county Health Department within 48 hours if they planned to remain open for curbside service. Grocery and convenience stores, importantly, remain open to the public. Entertainment venues such as movie theaters and music clubs, meanwhile, were ordered to shut down entirely, along with gathering places like recreational facilities and spas. Churches, notably, were also closed. The closure also applies to communal spaces in lodging properties like pools, gyms and locker rooms. Also mandated in the order is the closure of ski resorts, a step the three ski resorts in the county took voluntarily on Saturday. Park City Mountain Resort owner Vail Resorts initially indicated all of its ski areas in North America would close temporarily, then on Tuesday morning announced a closure for the rest of the season. Alterra Mountain Company, which owns Deer Valley Resort, closed its properties until further Holm said The Market staff is working hard to keep shelves stocked, and patrons are making do with what is available. The problem, he said, is nationwide. Because grocery stores all over are placing such large orders, there has been a delay in receiving them. “If we place an order Monday morning, it’s not going to arrive until Wednesday morning, or maybe Tuesday night at the earliest,” he said. “The trucks are just too full, and there are only so many of them, only so many drivers. We’re two days behind on our orders.” Bananas and other produce have been relatively easy to get and to keep stocked. Staple items like bread and nonperishables like flour, canned goods and cleaning products, though, are in high demand. Holm said The Market has none of those things in reserve. “As soon as those things arrive they are going straight out onto shelves,” he said. Furthermore, Holm said, distributors are having to ration what they deliver. He is passing that restriction onto his customers. “What we are trying to do is avoid hoarders,” he said. “We don’t want people coming in and buying everything we got.” Smith’s Food and Drug in Kimball Junction is taking similar steps. Kroger, the nationwide grocery chain that includes Smith’s, detailed some of the steps its stores are taking to keep its patrons and employees safe during the coronavirus outbreak. Those steps include cleaning common areas more often, including cashier stations, self-checkouts, credit card terminals, conveyor belts and food service counters, and cleaning shelves when restocking products. In addition, Kroger’s announcement said employees who need financial support due to the outbreak can get it through the company’s Helping Hands fund. As frantically busy as it’s been at The Market, Holm said the thing that has struck him most is the behavior of the community as they face an uncertain future. “We are so grateful that everyone has been so patient and kind,” he said. “No one is fighting over products. In fact, I’ve seen people saying, ‘Here, you take it. I’ll get it next time.’ That kind of thing. “And people have been very respectful and complimentary to us, as well. I’m just very grateful for the peace.” notice, while Woodward Park City implemented a closure until March 22. The April 16 expiration date of the public health order is four days after the originally scheduled final day of the season at Deer Valley and PCMR. The order also includes broad requirements for businesses that are allowed to remain open. They must ensure employees and others remain at least 6 feet from one another, a practice known as social distancing, in common areas. Businesses cannot allow ill employees to work or sick patrons to enter an establishment. Gatherings in the county must be limited to 100 or fewer people, or 20 or fewer people if someone older than 60 is in attendance. Violations of the order are criminal and are punishable by a class B misdemeanor on the first offense and a class A misdemeanor on subsequent offenses. The order followed a significant development in the effort to fight the coronavirus. On Saturday, officials announced that a doorman at the Spur Bar and Grill on Main Street who had not recently traveled and had not been in close contact with another infected person tested positive for COVID-19, signifying the presence of community spread in the area. Officials have said the appearance of community spread marked a new phase in how they are approaching the outbreak. The sweeping mandated closures and regulations are necessary, according to county health officials, to slow the spread of the virus, a critical objective to ensure health care facilities do not become overwhelmed. “The kinds of businesses and facilities identified represent those for which the risk of community transmission is higher due to groups of people gathering, the potential for contact with virus particles due to proximity, the exchange of cash and credit cards,” Bullough said in a statement Sunday. “Given the recent case of community transmission arising from a local restaurant and bar establishment, it is prudent to enact these regulations.” The public health order was issued during what in a normal year is one of the final busy stretches of ski season. For most businesses, traffic in mid-March does not typically match what is seen during the holidays or the jammed Sundance Film Festival, but the order, significant in scope, is certain to have a devastating effect on the Park City-area economy in the short-term. After the plans for the restrictions surrounding restaurants became publicized Saturday, many establishments announced plans to close temporarily, rather than transitioning to curbside service. Among the restaurants that announced closures were the High West Saloon and the establishments in the Bill White Restaurant Group, such as Grappa and Chimayo. “We look forward to reopening and continuing to be the responsible and trusted food service providers our guests and visitors have trusted for over 25 years to bring a wonderful, com- fortable and safe dining destination to the Park City community,” the company said in a statement posted on its website. “We feel this is the most prudent and responsible reaction to the ever-changing world events. We are deeply grateful for your support and we wish everyone good health.” Diversified Bars and Restaurants, which operates No Name Saloon, Butcher’s Chop House and Bar, and the Boneyard, also indicated it would close its properties. The company said it will donate the proceeds of gift cards purchased during the closure to its staff members. Several other restaurants, meanwhile, remained open on Monday and began providing curbside service. Ginger Wicks, executive director of the Park City Area Restaurant Association, called the situation unprecedented and said many restaurant owners are primarily concerned with how they will pay employees in the coming weeks. “The spring income is very critical for the livelihood for all restaurants. To lose that income from people dining is going to be devastating,” she said, adding. “... Absolutely they’re scared. It’s the unknown.” Wicks added that many restaurant owners understand the rationale for the restrictions, despite the measures prompting some to close. “We’re trying collectively to be a united front,” Wicks said. “It’s unfortunate for everybody.” Chamber/bureau traCks eConomiC losses JAY HAMBURGER The Park Record Park City businesses, government bodies and the wider community sometime this week could learn of the early projections of the impact of the spread of the novel coronavirus on the local economy. The Park City Chamber/Bureau is preparing its first report about the economic impact with plans to release the numbers publicly, Bill Malone, the president and CEO of the Chamber/Bureau said. Details about the time of the release were not immediately available. The report will provide data after an extraordinary week when the mountain resorts closed and many businesses were tem- porarily shuttered out of concern. The essential shutdown of the resort industry is expected to have a staggering economic impact on a community that is centered on skiing. The timing of the shutdown during what is normally a busy time in the ski industry with spring-break vacationers will magnify the impact. The Chamber/Bureau, though, has also said much of the ski season’s business is already on the books after the holidays, the Sundance Film Festival and the Presidents Day holiday. The mountain resorts, restaurants, nightclubs, lodging properties, ski shops and transportation firms are some of the sectors that will suffer. Local government bodies like City Hall and the County Courthouse will also be impacted as revenue streams like sales taxes drop. ‘An extremely resilient place’ The Chamber/Bureau on Sunday night planned to send to its members the Summit County Health Department order severely limiting business activity in crucial sectors of the economy. The public health order covers numerous categories of businesses like restaurants, resorts, movie theaters and clubs. Communal areas of lodging properties are included, as are gyms, churches, museums and spas. The order went into effect at 5 p.m. on Sunday. Malone late Sunday afternoon said the Park City area will emerge from the coronavirus crisis with strength. There have been other times when it “looked bleak” for the community, he said. “We’ve always been an extremely resilient place,” Malone said, adding, “I have confidence we’ll bounce back relatively quickly.” The crowds on Main Street over the weekend were slim compared to those that would otherwise be expected during the middle of March. Malone said he saw lots of people on the hiking and bicycling trails on Sunday. He sees the hikers and bicyclists as evidence that Parkites are adjusting to the closures of the resorts. “The theme would basically be around helping one another,” Malone said when asked about a message for the community. “Businesses helping other businesses and neighbors helping neighbors.” |