The Rapid City Common Council is acting this week on an ordinance to close restaurants, bars and recreational facilities until April 8th.
The Rapid City mayor says it’s the most significant action from the council since the devastating flood more than 40 years ago.
A final vote on the proposal will come Friday, after a five-day period that’s required for city ordinance changes. The measure would direct restaurants, coffeehouses, bars and theaters to shut down to the public.
Rapid City Mayor Steve Allender says those businesses may continue to offer products for curbside pickup or delivery.
Governor Kristi Noem announced Sunday there were six additional cases of COVID-19 in Beadle County. She says a risk of community spread is likely within a couple of days.
That’s enough for Mayor Allender, who says the move to shutter restaurants and bars follows CDC guidelines once community spread is detected.
“How can we justify ignoring CDC guidelines when we have a beyond-a-reasonable-doubt evidence that there is community spread?” Allender says. “This is a rapidly changing and very grueling process to go through.”
Pennington County is home to the state’s only COVID-19 death reported so far. The state says the man traveled to Davison County, where he died. There’s no evidence he returned to Pennington County after contracting the illness.
Officials in Huron and Beadle County are considering emergency ordinances. Huron is closing restaurants and bars. The Sioux Falls Board of Health will meet Tuesday to discuss next steps. That may include closing bars and restaurants in the state’s largest city.