By Joshua Huff, sports editor
TRUSSVILLE — Trussville Mayor Buddy Choat will join the growing number of mayors in Alabama who are calling on Gov. Kay Ivey to reopen all businesses that remained shuttered by her safer-at-home order, which went into effect this past Thursday.
Choat will call for the reopening of restaurants, hair salons, barber shops, nail salons, fitness centers and others that Ivey has elected to keep closed in her amended ordinance that is geared toward a more cautious approach that many politicians are decrying as unfair to particular businesses.
The new safer-at-home order opens retail stores, beaches and allows for elective medical procedures. Those businesses that are to remain closed are educational institutions, restaurants, bars, breweries, entertainment venues, athletic faculties and close-contact service providers.
“We are not proceeding to the full phase one reopening consistent with the White House plans,” State Health Officer Scott Harris said.. “The White House plans suggested reopening entertainment venues, gyms and restaurants and a number of other things that we are not doing at this time.”
Choat will join several other mayors throughout the state that are pleading with Ivey to reconsider reopening all businesses, citing an impending economic collapse.
Pell City Mayor Bill Pruitt recently wrote to Ivey regarding the plight of businesses in his city.
“Without such a chance, some of them will not be with us in two weeks, four weeks or whenever we reach of full reopening,” Pruitt wrote. “I am respectfully requesting you allow the immediate reopening of any business willing to implement, maintain and enforce the protocols you have outlines for the safety of its employees and customers.”
Trussville resides in two counties: Jefferson and St. Clair County. The former has been hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic. As of Monday morning, Jefferson County has 977 confirmed cases of COVID-19 with 48 deaths. St. Clair County has 76 confirmed cases with no deaths.
Choat will hold a press conference at 1 p.m. on Monday, May 4, 2020, at Trussville City Hall.