Governor Kim Reynolds issued some guidelines on the reopening of RESTAURANTS May 1, 2020 as indicated below. It is my suggestion to restaurant owners to remove tables and chairs to achieve the 50% capacity. This will give patrons the heads up the restaurant is full and will avoid potential confrontations with the owners. Spacing the tables and chairs according to the Governor’s guidelines will also assist with social distancing issues.
BARS are to remain closed as indicated below. Bars and restaurants are distinctly different when you compare the guidelines below. A BAR is an establishment where a customer may purchase alcoholic beverages and in which the serving of food is incidental to the consumption of those beverages and is limited to the service of ice, snack foods and the reheating of commercially prepared foods such as frozen pizza, pre-packaged sandwiches, or other prepackaged, ready-to-serve products.
The Sheriff’s Office is taking the stand that once the kitchen is closed and food is no longer being prepared and served, the establishment should close its doors. The preparation and serving of food and drink is what the Governor wants to re-establish, not the serving of alcoholic beverages alone; definition of a bar.
I put this information out to inform the public and establishment owners as phone calls have been received about these issues.
Please protect yourself by social distancing and by practicing good hygiene habits.
Sheriff Lynn Schultes
REOPENING OF BUSINESSES AND ESTABLISHMENTS
SECTION TWO. Pursuant to Iowa Code § 135.144 (3), and in conjunction with the Iowa Department of Public Health, unless otherwise modified by subsequent proclamation or order of the Iowa Department of Public Health, I hereby order that effective at 5:00 a.m. on May 1, 2020 and until 11:59 p.m. on May 15, 2020:
A. Restaurants: A restaurant may reopen to serve food and beverages on its premises, but only to the extent that it complies with the following requirements:
(1) Capacity limited: The restaurant must limit the number of customers present at indoor or outdoor spaces to 50% of its normal operating capacity to ensure adequate spacing of groups.
(2) Groups limited: The restaurant must ensure that no group of customers seated together in the restaurant is larger than six people.
(3) Social distancing: The restaurant must ensure at least six feet of physical distance between each group or individual dining alone.
(4) Self-service prohibited: The restaurant must not have any self-service of food or beverages, including buffets or salad bars.
(5) Social distancing, hygiene, and public health measures: The restaurant shall also implement reasonable measures under the circumstances of each restaurant to ensure social distancing of employees and customers, increased hygiene practices, and other public health measures to reduce the risk of transmission of COVID-19 consistent with guidance issued by the Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals and the Iowa Department of Public Health.
This paragraph does not reopen a bar, which must remain closed to the public except as provided in section 2, paragraph A of this Proclamation.
EXTENSION OF CLOSURES AND ORDERS
(Statewide)
SECTION THREE. Pursuant to Iowa Code § 135.144 (3), and in conjunction with the Iowa Department of Public Health, unless otherwise modified by subsequent proclamation or order of the Iowa Department of Public Health, I hereby extend the following orders until 11:59 p.m. on May 15, 2020:
A. Bars: A bar shall continue to be closed to the general public except that to the extent permitted by applicable law as modified by the suspensions in this Proclamation, and in accordance with any recommendations of the Iowa Department of Public Health, food and beverages may be sold if such food or beverages are promptly taken from the premises, such as on a carry-out or drive-through basis, or if the food or beverage is delivered to customers off the premises. For the purposes of this section, a bar is an establishment where a customer may purchase alcoholic beverages and in which the serving of food in incidental to the consumption of those beverages and is limited to the service of ice, snack foods and the reheating of commercially prepared foods such as frozen pizza, pre-packaged sandwiches, or other prepackaged, ready-to-serve products.