McComb will send city employees to perform random checks on all restaurants to make sure they are following the guidelines set out in Gov. Tate Reeves’ executive order that allows them to resume dine-in service with some restrictions.
“I know that this coronavirus has disrupted our emotional, financial, physical and spiritual lives,” Mayor Quordiniah Lockley said Friday. “I want you to know that the City of McComb is wrestling with some of the same problems many of you are — employees, expenses, revenue and morale.”
Lockley said the city followed every order laid out by Reeves, the Centers for Disease Control and the Mississippi State Health Department, and despite loosening restrictions, he wanted to remind the residents of McComb that the virus is still a threat.
“How to proceed in this crisis is an issue. I am of the opinion that we must proceed with caution, especially with all the unknowns about this virus,” Lockley said. “However, let us agree that you cannot equate the life of our economy with the lives of human beings.
“All human life matters.”
The order laid out by Reeves restricts dine-in service to 50% capacity, along with other requirements such as training on how to reduce the spread of the virus, screening customers and employees, and mandatory deep cleans. Lockley said the city would make sure restaurants follow these guidelines by beginning random checks on all restaurants in the city.
“The City of McComb has used the governor’s orders as our guide,” he said. “By using it as our guide, the city has not only followed this order, but the staff will visit every restaurant and bar to make sure they are adhering to the stipulations in order 1478.”
City Administrator Dirkland Smith elaborated on Lockley’s statement. He said the checks are like surprise health inspections, and Zoning, Inspections and Permits Department employees will perform the checks.
“Zoning staff is going to go out to restaurants and bars,” Smith said. “No appointment. It is going to be unannounced, so if they walk in and they go through the checklist, and (managers or owners) are not compliant ... they are told to shut down.
“If the manager does not want to shut down, law enforcement will be called in to let them know they will be shut down.”
Smith said if a business is forced to shut down, the managers or owners will have to call zoning and pass another inspection before they can reopen.
Lockley said his and the city board’s biggest concern is the health of the people of McComb.
“We want to encourage you to make wise choices and to use common sense,” he said. “We want to encourage you to continue practicing social distancing, proper sanitizing and the wearing of masks.”
Lockley also spoke about the use of masks in public. He said if anyone needs to go outside of their homes, they need to wear a mask.
“The wearing of masks has been included in the CDC requirements,” Lockley said. “I want to encourage all of our citizens when you leave to go out into the public that you will wear some form of a mask.”
