Council holds off on tighter regs after input from businesses

Some bar and restaurant owners in Whitefish say they’re struggling to operate amid statewide restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic, and last week asked City Council to not impose tighter regulations on them.

Dave Sheeran, owner of the Remington Bar, said further restrictions would hurt his business, but also his employees.

“Going backwards would disproportionately affect my business, and other bars and restaurants,” he told Council. “I think we need to look to move in a forward direction.”

He said the Remington voluntarily closed earlier than required on Halloween.

“I closed early out of an abundance of caution,” he said. “I probably lost $10,000 that weekend. I could probably live through anything you want to throw at me, but the people that I employ they lost out.”

The Remington is one of five businesses in Flathead County being sued by the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services for not following the state’s mandates to wear a mask and social distance.

Alex Maetzold, with the Buffalo Cafe, said his restaurant already struggles to find enough seats for customers, having to turn people away.

“We do everything we can by the book and look out for our employees,” he said. “But if we go back to 50% capacity it’s going to be super difficult to operate as owners and for our employees.”

“If this is done right,” he added. “We can balance economic health and public health.”

City Council last week decided to forgo tightening up restrictions for local businesses. It had considered requiring Whitefish bars and restaurants to operate at 50% capacity rather than the 75% capacity allowed under the state currently.

Councilor Andy Feury said additional restrictions by the city would largely be symbolic because patrons could just travel to nearby towns.

“Community spread is happening in our county, but I don’t see additional restrictions serving anyone,” he said. “I live in a house where a business has had to close not because people are doing the right thing, but because people aren’t doing what is right.”

The city previously implemented temporary restrictions for the Halloween weekend as an effort to slow the spread of the virus, and many bars and restaurants voluntarily closed even earlier than required.

Council members have continued to express frustration at the inaction of the Flathead City-County Health Board, and thus prompting it to consider adopting city regulations that would allow the city itself to enforce requirements. State mandated restrictions that are in place now can only be enforced by the Flathead County Attorney.

Councilor Steve Qunell said county officials have failed to enforce restrictions.

“The county attorney has done nothing,” he said. “The county health board has refused to help.”

During public comment, some did ask Council to consider restrictions to slow the spread of the virus.

Amy Sharp, a nurse at North Valley Hospital, said North Valley last week was set to begin taking COVID-19 patients because Kalispell Regional Medical Center could no longer handle the number of patients.

“That means there’s a lack of beds,” she said. “That leads to people staying at home longer and staying sicker longer.”

Sharp worried that too many patients with COVID-19 could inundate the hospitals, noting that COVID-19 is a “trick, dangerous disease — unlike the flu. She added that it will be especially challenging for healthcare workers once the flu season hits.

Council did decide to place a standing item on agendas for future meetings to include updates on the city’s response to COVID-19.

The city, along with the Whitefish School District, and other community stakeholders recently created a COVID-19 task force aimed at slowing the spread of the virus. It’s first project is to create an outreach campaign aimed at bringing the community together under the goal of slowing the spread of the virus.

Mayor John Muhlfeld said he hopes the task force will help to improve the situation by providing a message regarding the true effects of the virus and “what we can do to help protect both our residents and visitors alike.”

“The more voluntary compliance we can get, that’s the best course of action,” he said.