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To increase enforcement of Contra Costa County’s COVID-19 health orders, county leaders asked Tuesday for an ordinance to allow county workers to issue infraction tickets to businesses, houses of worship and other groups that are seen violating the rules.
County supervisors also asked for a dedicated telephone hotline for reporting violations of the health order, in part to motivate more compliance with the rules.
Both actions were taken Tuesday as COVID-19 infection rates are on the rise in both Contra Costa County and in the Bay Area in general. County Health Director Anna Roth told the supervisors that the number of total infections has almost doubled in the past three weeks, to 5,023 total cases, over the total from March through late June.
“The scope of the (virus) transmission is growing from every direction,” said Roth, noting the spread is happening more quickly in low-income communities.
Supervisor Karen Mitchoff of Concord said the time when anyone can claim ignorance about needing to wear a face covering in public or about distancing requirements at their businesses has long passed.
“People know what the doggone (health) order is, and it’s time to enforce,” Mitchoff said Tuesday. “Sometimes you have to have a heavy hammer.”
It isn’t as if authorities are not acting on complaints about businesses, churches and other institutions breaking rules about facial coverings, lack of social distancing or other COVID-19 violations. Assistant district attorney Stacey Grassini told the supervisors that three deputy DAs, two senior inspectors and a paralegal, are dedicated to taking and acting on complaints of health order violations.
“Every single complaint is tracked, and a deputy DA reviews every complaint,” Grassini said. More than 200 such complaints have been received, he said, and the vast majority of those businesses quickly came into compliance after county representatives met with them.
The DA’s office can file misdemeanor complaints against those accused of violating the health order — none have been filed so far, Grassini said — but the ability to issue infraction tickets would likely prove more responsive in addressing most violations, he said. Supervisors said such ticketing would also enable better proactive enforcement.
County Administrator David Twa told the supervisors that the county’s compliance with the COVID-19-related health order is crucial in continuing to receive federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES) stimulus funds, and state “realignment” money meant to help cover the costs of accepting state prison inmates into local jails. The county has to certify compliance with health order mandates to keep receiving those funds, Twa said.
“That is obviously a significant impact to our budgets going forward,” Twa said.
The supervisors asked to see a draft ordinance they could approve July 28 that would enable the issuance of the infraction tickets.
Mitchoff also asked Twa to talk with the head administrators of Contra Costa’s 19 cities to appeal for more “boots on the ground” help with local enforcement of the health order’s requirements.
By Bay City News Service
By Bay City News Service
By Bay City News Service