MOHAVE COUNTY – Mohave County will continue enforcing Governor Doug Ducey’s COVID-19 pandemic-related restrictions and regulations for bars and restaurants, gyms and movie theaters, but the Board of Supervisors voted Monday to lower the range of potential sanctions for non-compliance.
There was little discussion of fully ignoring enforcement of the Governor’s edicts, as staff members continue to say they don’t know what the consequences might be for the county.
Staff told supervisors that the county has conducted 92 investigations of complaints and that all but one has been resolved short of fines or court action. Supervisors were told that only Great American Pizza in Golden Valley had been fined $1,000 for refusing to comply following county inspections.
The board voted to reduce potential fines from $1,000 to $50 per day, and from a $10,000 maximum to no more than $500. The board also approved lowering to $50 the fine imposed for Great American Pizza.
Rickety Cricket Brewing owner Terry Thomson said the coronavirus and operation directives from Governor Ducey has his enterprise gasping for survival on a ventilator. Thomson said his 48-person workforce has been trimmed to 14 as he struggles to keep his doors open.
Thomson said he spends sleepless nights worrying about complying with glove and mask mandates and the possibility that violations could jeopardize his $150,000 liquor license. And he said he and his staff bear the brunt of customers who are unhappy about changes in their drinking and dining experience.
“I find myself where I hate people right now,” Thomson said. “I can’t even deal with the public anymore.”
Thomson said he’s walking a tight rope trying to keep staff and operations compliant when customers don’t want to be distanced or wear masks. “They don’t care. They’re coming out to come out and they don’t want to be handcuffed. My staff gets assaulted verbally every day for wearing a mask,” he said.
Dist. 5 Sup. Ron Gould said Americans have to find a way to live and cope with COVID-19 because it’s not going away anytime soon.
Dave Hawkins
