City of Imperial postpones reopening vote

IMPERIAL COUNTY, (KYMA, KECY)- The City of Imperial has weighed the costs of defying the state and allowing city businesses to reopen.

Although they’re willing to sacrifice thousands in Cares Act funding, they tabled the motion to reopen in a city council meeting Wednesday night and said they would reconvene Friday. 

The County health officials are expected to meet with the state Thursday to discuss moving up to stage two low risk. They said they would give the county one more day to make something happen.

Each board member agreed that local businesses were more important than state funding. 

They also said that the county’s efforts to move into stage two lower risk does nothing for their higher risk businesses like gyms and beauty salons that have been placed in stage three and four. 

“$245,794 that’s how much money our city is expecting to get from the Cares Act. That's how much money we expect Sacramento will take away from us if we move forward and let all of our businesses open,” said Imperial Mayor Darrell Pechtl.  

California Governor Gavin Newsom has threatened that defying state orders would result in a loss of coronavirus cash from the Cares Act, a $2.2 trillion economic stimulus bill. 

Newsom has followed on his promise by withholding funds from at least two counties in the Central Valley that defied state orders. 

The City of Imperial said that’s a sacrifice they’re willing to make for the struggling businesses of their city. 

“I'll be perfectly frank I'm done with the county, the county’s expecting some $18 million dollars under the cares act funds, but why aren't they speaking up on behalf of the county’s businesses, why aren't they speaking up under the counties families,” said Pechtl. 

413 Fitness Center co-owner, Deuce Roberts, spoke before the board and said he’s had to let go of all of his employees and is losing thousands each day his gym remains closed.

He urged the city to act fast. 

He also said he received a new bill in the mail for Imperial County personal property taxes on his gym equipment. A bill he can't afford to pay if he’s not in business. 

“Why am I going to pay the county taxes on my gym equipment that the county forced me to shut down, the equipment I can't even use, and I still have to pay my property taxes too, the county’s making money from me, are they going to help me,” said Roberts. 

Roberts added that three tenants from his building had to shut down their business for good. 

The city of Imperial fears businesses won't be able to recover if the shutdown continues.

They argued that the county had not provided any evidence of where community spread was occurring, therefore it made no sense to keep businesses closed.

“They’re saying let the numbers go down so we can let people open up safely, but they can’t give us simple data that tells us whether or not people are getting sick because they’re working. In five and a half months I havent seen a single report from the county health department that tells us where these infectious sources are coming from. Are they coming across from Mexico, are they coming from a meat plant in Brawley, we don't know,”said Pechtl. 

The City of Imperial decided they would stand united with Imperial County for at least one more day. 

“You matter Imperial, we care.  We’re tired of waiting for other people, but we’re going to give them one more day,” said Pechtl. 

Imperial City Council has scheduled a special board meeting for Friday at 5:00 p.m. to revisit a reopening plan.

Tune in to 13 On Your Side at 4 p.m. as Alexandra Rangel speaks residents about the board's decision.