There are mixed signals coming for the City of Manteca regarding whether they will enforce county orders regarding business closures during the ongoing pandemic.
Manteca municipal leaders during the June 2 City Council meeting affirmed their positon they lacked the manpower to enforce San Joaquin Health Department closure orders for specific businesses connected with COVID-19 orders.
They told a citizen that spoke at the June 2 meeting concerned that small gyms would be going out of business that the owner should make the decision whether they should reopen even if they weren’t allowed to do so by health officials.
City leaders also repeated their previous position that given they are county orders, if anyone has a complaint they would refer it to the county sheriff. They also promised if the county did not allow gyms to reopen they’d take their case to the governor
Last Wednesday, June 10, CALFit reopened its North Main Street gym with all of the state recommended protocols and social distancing in place
At the start of last week, Gov. Gavin Newsom had allowed gyms and health clubs to reopen starting June 12 providing the health officials of the county where they are located concurred if was OK to do so. San Joaquin County’s top health officer — Dr. Maggie Park — decided it wasn’t a wise thing to do as in less than a week COVID-19 hospitalizations within the county more than doubled to 42 patients.
On Friday, June 12, someone made a complaint to the city that CALFit was open when the county said gyms could not legally open. Later that day Manteca Police paid CALFit a visit and gave them a paper document on City of Manteca letterhead stating “You are hereby ordered to cease and desist” noting “this business is in violation of an executive order” regarding COVID-19 closings.
City staff indicated over the weekend that the printed notice as simply an effort to “educate” the business and that it should have been verbal.
When asked if CALFit — or any other businesses or that matter — is open in violation of county orders whether Manteca Police would shut them down and what would happen if the city received a follow up complaint, a spokesman indicated the city’s emergency operations command staff would clarify the city’s position when they meet today.
Manteca Councilman Gary Singh indicated Sunday that those who have issue with Park’s orders should contact members of the San Joaquin County Board of Supervisors. He noted Park is not an elected official and as such any concerns people may have with county orders are best directed to the Board of Supervisors.
To contact Dennis Wyatt, email dwyatt@mantecabulletin.com
