Video: City Council meeting May 19
begin min. 54:05
If Gadfly understood Mr. Evans correctly, the City had ideas of closing streets and using parklets to improve outside accessibility to services by restaurants and other of our small businesses, but these plans have been put on hold for now by state directives.
Councilman Callahan strongly supported this idea, indicating that he had sent a letter to the governor (see below) as well as talking personally with the mayor.
- Some of our most successful businesses on Main St. and Southside are really struggling.
- Some might not make it.
- The Home Depots, etc., are open, and we are allowing curbside for restaurants.
- How about closing the roads one-way — one-way traffic — giving more table space and socially distancing space?
- Can possibly be done in a safe manner: paper goods, non-reusable utensils, etc.
- Only family members that live under the same roof at a table, for instance.
- Others would have to be 6 feet away.
- Owners realize the virus might come back in the fall.
- Just trying to get their sales up a little bit to survive.
- Encourages the City to talk with the business owners and come up with a plan for the right time.
- Home Depots, etc., are handling the bathroom cleaning issue — could be done here in our downtowns as well.
