12 Boise bars petition Central District Health to reopen; hearing set for Thursday
Twelve Boise bars are petitioning Central District Health to allow them to reopen amid the coronavirus pandemic, and a hearing will take place Thursday to listen to their arguments and render a decision.
The Central District Board of Health made the decision in June to close bars after there was an outbreak tied to downtown Boise. Ada County remains in the original Stage 3 of Idaho’s reopening plan, while the rest of the state is in Stage 4 — with bars open. On Aug. 12, defense attorney David Leroy filed a petition on behalf of the bars, a couple of which are open now because they have food establishment licenses.
The bars are Tom Grainey’s, Silly Birch, Whiskey Bar, The Fireside Inn, Atlas, The Torch Lounge, Torch 2, Jim’s Alibi, The End Zone, Mulligans/Olympic, Cactus Bar and 8th Street Entertainment (Karma and 8th Street Social Club).
The petition includes a list of proposed changes the bars are willing to make to return to business, including employees entering and exiting through a single door where a screening station is established. They will have their temperatures taken, and if the employee does not pass health protocols, they will not be allowed to work. The bars also would mandate that employees wear face coverings, and they propose making hand sanitizer and gloves available to all employees.
Each bar also would use security staff to enforce appropriate social distancing.
When available, the bars would encourage outdoor seating and wipe down horizontal surfaces every 30 minutes. They propose closing dance floors and not having bar service. Instead, beverages would be brought to a patron’s table.
The petition states “that no compelling governmental interest exists sufficient to justify the economic destruction of the bar and nightclub industry.”
At a 5:15 p.m. Thursday meeting, the Board of Health’s agenda states that it will listen to a presentation from the petitioners and a presentation from CDH staff. Public testimony will not be taken. Face coverings must be worn by those attending.
Residents can watch the meeting on CDH’s YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4LJ1BM5Jv3zczecnYkXarw/.
There is a viewing room for the public to attend the meeting, but CDH says there is space for only 10 people, with an overflow room for seven. The public is encouraged to watch online.
The Board of Health will make a decision on whether the petitioners may reopen and also could alter the existing public health order to make new rules apply to all bars so that they may reopen.
As of Tuesday, CDH reported that 10,511 people in Ada County have contracted the virus and 127 people have died of COVID-19.
This story was originally published September 2, 2020 at 2:23 PM.
