Whatcom Council takes steps to help local businesses during pandemic crisis
Whatcom County Council members moved to help restaurants this week and discussed other steps aimed at helping local businesses hobbled by closures and social-distancing measures to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus.
Acting as the Health Board, the council on Tuesday, May 5, 2020, unanimously extended the expiration date for restaurant operating permits by six months.
Food establishments whose permits expire from March 1, 2020, to February 28, 2021, are eligible for relief, according to the ordinance.
A 2020 revenue loss of $370,000 is expected, according to the proposed ordinance.
Tuesday’s action follows an executive order issued Friday, April 24, 2020, by County Executive Satpal Sidhu that allows restaurants and taverns to operate with expired permits without late fees until July 1.
Permits still must be renewed by July 1 and permits that are more the 60 days overdue will be considered lapsed.
Estimated fiscal impact of waiving the restaurant and tavern late fees is about $5,000 in 2020.
Fees from permits of all kinds — including those for building, food handling, restaurants and solid waste — raised nearly $4 million of the county’s $437 million 2019-2020 budget, documents show.
Also on Tuesday, council members rejected 5-2 a measure proposed by council member Ben Elenbaas supporting “a thoughtful approach” to pandemic-related business restrictions.
Elenbaas, backed by council member Tyler Byrd, questioned why a big-box retailer was allowed to continue operating during Gov. Jay Inslee’s emergency orders while a locally-owned business that offers similar products was forced to close.
His proposed ordinance would have allowed “any business that offers like goods and services to the above-mentioned big box stores, or any construction projects including residential construction of any kind, that can implement mitigation factors such as the above-mentioned businesses, shall be able to operate during the governor and executive’s COVID-19 related emergency declarations.”
After rejecting the measure, council members unanimously voted to send the governor a letter requesting such action at the state level.
Finally, council members voted to consider developing a post-pandemic economic-recovery plan at their next meeting, scheduled for May 19, 2020.
Establishing an economic-recovery plan had been introduced as an emergency measure, but after an hour of discussion, it was withdrawn and set for later consideration.
