Steny's owner calls new 25% occupancy restriction 'devastating'
MILWAUKEE - Gov. Tony Evers’ administration Tuesday, Oct. 6 issued a new order limiting the size of public indoor gatherings to stem the spread of COVID-19. Wisconsin has become one of the worst hot spots for the disease over the last month as colleges and schools reopened and fatigue over wearing masks and social distancing has grown. Starting Thursday, Oct. 8, capacity will again be restricted to 25% at bars and restaurants. This order does not apply to schools, colleges, churches, political rallies, polling locations and outdoor spaces.
Owners at Steny's Tavern and Grill in Milwaukee said they understand the need to protect public health, but feel the one-size-fits-all solution again just isn't fair. Ryan Steny and staff had every intention of finishing 2020 on a high note, hiring an additional 15 employees after submitting a 58-point plan on how they can operate safely at full capacity.
"Just going over everything from cleaning, disinfectant, spreading out the tables, QR codes on the menus to touchless bathrooms," said Steny.
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The plan, approved by the Milwaukee Health Department, took a month to complete. Now it's back to the drawing board after Governor Evers' administration announced the new emergency health order limiting indoor public gatherings.
Ryan Steny
"We've worked super hard to get up to 50%, to get to 100% and they knock us to 25%," said Steny. "It's devastating."
Starting Thursday at 8 a.m., all indoor public gatherings will be limited to 25% capacity. Department of Health Services Secretary-designee Andrea Palm says the order addresses the fact that indoor gatherings are "an obvious" point of transmission right now, especially bars and restaurants.
"We have to reduce our social contact with other Wisconsinites," said Palm. "We need to do everything we can to stop the spread of this disease, take the pressure off our contact tracers."
But Steny says he feels the industry is being targeted unfairly, particularly in the city, where he says some bars are doing all they can to limit the spread.
"Come in seven days a week, morning or night, and see what we're doing and then go somewhere else, out in the suburbs or up north, and see what those bars are doing," said Steny. "Maybe go after them instead of doing this to us, when we're doing everything that they ask."
Steny says the timing makes these restrictions frustrating for bars and restaurants. They've relied on outdoor space all summer, even installing heaters to keep people comfortable, but as colder temperatures make their way into Wisconsin, the next few months were already going to be tough on the industry.
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Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers restricts public indoor gatherings
Gov. Tony Evers' administration issued a new order Tuesday limiting the size of public indoor gatherings.