The Aggieville Business Association is requesting the Riley County commission rescind Local Health Order No. 16.
ABA Director Dennis Cook spoke to the commission Thursday, saying the order is an overreach and targeting Aggieville businesses.
“It’s restricting enough to fail businesses and undermine our local economy. I understand there’s been a lot of pressure through the health department from the (Kansas State) university to implement these restrictions but this restraint to business is unfair. It’s punitive to hardworking, caring and locals trying to make a living and raise families in this town,” he said.
Cook claims since these restrictions are meant to be preventative towards the virus, the order is not data driven. Cook requested the commission hold a hearing with health officials. Health Department Director Julie Gibbs responded saying 66 of the county’s positive cases came from bars and restaurants.
“44 of those do work in Aggieville, 49 others were positives and mentioned going to at least one location in Aggieville, so those are some numbers to justify some of our data. We are using the data available to us but we have seen these numbers coming from restaurants and bars,” she said.
Gibbs says they are using the data to stop the spread of the virus, without going as drastic as other counties.
Local attorney Jeremy Platt, who represents some Aggieville businesses spoke saying the order is “overly restrictive” and could pose some legal challenges for the county.
The Riley County Commission did not discuss the topic further.
In other business Thursday, the commission approved the purchase of a new shelter to be installed at Keats Park, totalling $18,500.
The full meeting from Thursday can be found in the video above.
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