Watertown businesses get green light to re-open as COVID-19 emergency ordinance is allowed to expire (Audio)
April 27, 2020
Mike Tanner
WATERTOWN, S.D.—The month long wait is over for non-essential business in Watertown that were forced to close last month due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
At a special meeting Monday night, the city council voted to let an emergency ordinance expire at midnight tonight (Monday night) that closed some, but not all, non-essential businesses in Watertown.
The businesses will be allowed to re-open Tuesday, but still must follow guidelines pertaining to such things as social distancing, as spelled out in Governor Kristi Noem’s executive order.
The vote to let the ordinance expire was 10-0 in favor.
This is Councilman Ried Holien…
Councilwoman Beth Mantey…
Councilman Josh Weyh….
Councilman Jason Redemske supported the argument to get businesses re-opened…
The emergency ordinance went into effect on March 26th. It forced fitness clubs, the bowling alley, arcades, music and entertainment venues and the movie theater to close, although some other businesses shut down voluntarily.
Codington County has just one active case of COVID-19, and only two people in the county have required hospitalization for it.
