Clovis Mayor continues to advocate for regional approach to reopening
CLOVIS (KSMX)- City of Clovis officials held a press conference Thursday, May 14, to update citizens on the efforts of local government/city involvement with the upcoming changes to the new public health orders.
Clovis Mayor Michael Morris lead the discussion by displaying local government efforts with recovery for the City of Clovis. In April, two letters were sent to the governor’s office displaying the hardships of businesses in the area and eventually leading to a resolution asking for a modification of public health mandates.
State officials announced that on May 16, all retailers that sell goods directly to consumers may operate at 25% of their fire code capacity with COVID-safe practices in place. Public health orders requiring face-coverings for the general public in any public settings (indoors and outdoors) will also be put into effect Saturday.
Mayor Morris stated that, “the announcement of some businesses allowed to reopen moved the needle some, but it was not what I wished to be for Phase One. I understand the seriousness of COVID-19 but I believe these restrictions made in March were unfair to us. Our small business were the ones being hit the hardest for the past eight weeks”.
Morris was appointed to the Governor’s Mayor’s Council, a group of sixteen mayors from across the state, who is tasked with providing a source of input, advice, ideas and support for a plan for a reopening in April and has since advocated for a regional approach to a safe reopening.
However, Morris stated that after many different conversations with state officials, these proposals fell on “deaf ears”.
What seems to be another concern for the general public is the health order requiring those to wear a mask while in public. Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham stated that state police and first responders will enforce the new requirement, with “extreme positive peer pressure”. A citation and a fine would be impractical and strain already overworked first responders.
The City will not enforce these mandates but rather educate those who are reopening under these new guidelines.
Mayor Morris noted that “I, like anyone else, do not enjoy being told to wear a mask but our state is asking this of us and I want to be a good citizen. I ask that the citizens of Clovis will be too.”
The City of Clovis will release an official press release with city offices and lobbies that will be reopening and COVID-Safe guidelines for the public.
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