OCEAN COUNTY – The Ocean County Freeholders have urged the governor to allow restaurants to reopen indoor dining by Labor Day, so they can have at least a little of the summer season.
Additionally, as the weather grows colder, there will be less opportunity for the restaurants to have outdoor seating.
“Our restaurant owners and their workers have waited long enough and have suffered the greatest economic harm during this pandemic,” said Ocean County Freeholder Director Joseph H. Vicari, who is liaison to tourism and business development. “These food establishments, with a plan in place, should be allowed to reopen for indoor dining right now.”
Gov. Phil Murphy had closed indoor restaurants in order to slow the spread of COVID-19. Social distancing of six feet or more is impossible in a crowded eatery.
There are 3,200 restaurants and food establishments located in Ocean County, they said. Many of them rely on summer traffic.
“For many of these businesses, they are sustained by summer visitors so they rely on 10 to 12 weeks out of the year,” Vicari said. “The state has indicated that we will not even receive reopening guidelines for these restaurants before Labor Day.
Vicari said small businesses should be treated the same as big corporations including the large box stores, and supermarkets.
Ocean County Freeholder Gary Quinn noted that the number of cases of coronavirus in the County have continuously decreased.
“We keep being told we have to follow the science,” Quinn said. “I have to question whether we are following any kind of science at this point. Certainly our numbers in Ocean County continue to be where they should be and because of this the businesses should be allowed to open. We are on their side. Enough is enough.”
Freeholder Virginia Haines noted Gov. Murphy has allowed many activities that have resulted in crowds and long lines like accessing the state Motor Vehicle Commission offices.
Ocean County Freeholder John P. Kelly said if he had the authority to do so he would propose a resolution that would allow the opening of all restaurants.
“It’s time to allow people to go out and live their lives and make their own decisions,” he said.
Follow Guidelines
It needed to be clarified that the Freeholders want restaurants to reopen – but safely. They should still follow guidelines set forward by the Centers for Disease Control, health departments, and the like.
“We are not trying to diminish the effects of this pandemic and the toll it has taken. What we are saying is we want to work within the guidelines,” Vicari said. “We would do the right thing.”
Ocean County Freeholder Gerry P. Little, who serves as liaison to the Ocean County Health Department said 1.8 percent of the county’s population of 600,000 people were infected with the virus since March when the first cases were noted.
“Since March when cases were first reported we had 11,036 cases,” he said. “We also have to remember our population soars to more than 1 million people in the summer months.
“Our restaurants and bars are essential to our economy,” Little said. “We strongly encourage the governor to open up our restaurants safely and allow them to operate to start to restore our economy.”
