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City of Vicksburg proclamation regarding the operation of outdoor entertainment and recreation – full text
PROCLAMATION REGARDING THE OPERATION OF OUTDOOR ENTERTAINMENT AND RECREATION DURING THE CIVIL EMERGENCY DECLARED TO PREVENT THE SPREAD OF COVID-19 EFFECTIVE MONDAY, MAY 25, 2020 AT 8:00 A.M.
WHEREAS, pursuant to §§45-17-1 through 45-17-13, and §33-15-17 of the Mississippi Code of 1972, as amended, the Mayor is authorized to proclaim that a Civil Emergency exists defined as any natural disaster or man-made calamity resulting in the death or injury of persons to such an extent that extraordinary measures must be taken to protect the public health, safety and welfare; and
WHEREAS, §21-19-3 gives municipalities the authority to make regulations to prevent the spreading of contagious or infectious diseases and to make quarantine laws for that purpose; and
WHEREAS, §33-15-17 authorizes the Mayor to control or restrict egress, ingress and movement within the local emergency area necessary to facilitate the protection of life and property; and
WHEREAS, pursuant to these laws, the Mayor is authorized to issue such orders as he deems necessary to protect the public health, safety and welfare of the citizens of Vicksburg, Mississippi; and
WHEREAS, the Coronavirus (COVID-19) that has spread across this nation is a worldwide pandemic and as of May 21, 2020, the Mississippi Department of Health has reported 12,624 positive confirmed cases and 596 deaths in Mississippi, 6 of which were in Warren County; and
WHEREAS, extraordinary measures related to the spread of the Coronavirus are necessary for the health, safety, welfare and good order to protect the public and a Proclamation was issued effective March 23, 2020 at Noon to employ certain measures which were intended to minimize the spread of the COVID-19; and
WHEREAS, previous emergency orders have required that outdoor recreation and entertainment venues be closed to prevent the spread; and
WHEREAS, the Governor of the State of Mississippi has amended his Safer at Home Order in an effort to continue to prevent the spread of COVID-19 while allowing these outdoor entertainment and recreation venues to operate; and
WHEREAS, there are requirements that are mandated if these businesses desire to open to their customers.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT PROCLAIMED BY THE MAYOR OF THE CITY OF VICKSBURG pursuant to §§45-17-1 through 45-17-13, §21-19-3 and §33-15-17 of the Mississippi Code of 1972, the following regulations apply to outdoor places of amusement and recreation:
I. Outdoor practices may resume, subject to the rules and regulations of the governing athletic associations, in accordance with the limitations placed on outdoor recreational activities pursuant to the Governor’s Executive Order 1478, Paragraph I(b)(iii).
II. Outdoor places of amusement and recreation, including amusement parks and rides, waterparks, go-cart tracks, mini golf and playgrounds (“outdoor parks”) are allowed to open subject to the following limitations:
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- Prior to resuming operations, the entire outdoor park, including areas not open to the public, and all equipment and rides shall be deep cleaned, disinfected, and sanitized.
- The outdoor park shall take all reasonable measures to ensure compliance with the Mississippi State Department of Health’s and CDC’s regulations, orders and guidelines to prevent the spread of COVID-19, including, but not limited to: social distancing; sending sick employees home; actively encouraging sick employees to stay home; separating and sending home employees who appear to have respiratory illness symptoms; adopting and enforcing regular and proper hand-washing and personal hygiene protocols; and daily screening of employees for COVID-19 related symptoms before beginning their shift.
- Waiting areas/lines shall be marked to observe social distancing standards and to require customers to stand at least 6 feet Employees will be stationed to enforce the social distancing standards.
- Daily screening of employees shall include the following questions, and any employee answering any question in the affirmative shall be sent home:
- Have you been in close contact with a confirmed case of COVID-19 in the past 14 days?
- Are you experiencing a cough, shortness of breath, or sore throat?
- Have you had a fever in the last 48 hours?
- Have you had new loss of taste or smell?
- Have you had vomiting or diarrhea in the last 24 hours?
- All employees shall be required to report any symptoms of COVID-19 to their supervisor, and any employee that exhibits any of the symptoms of COVID-19 during their shift shall be sent home immediately and advised to consult with their physician.
- All employees shall be provided training regarding minimizing the spread of COVID-19, including reinforcement of proper sanitation, hand washing, cough and sneeze etiquette, and using
- Appropriate PPE shall be worn by all employees based on their duties and responsibilities and in adherence to state and local regulations and guidelines. Every employee shall be provided a face covering, covering nose and mouth, and shall be required to wear that face covering while on duty, such face coverings shall be cleaned or replaced at least
- Break rooms shall be thoroughly cleaned and sanitized, and the number of employees in the break room shall be limited to allow for strict social distancing (a minimum of six feet between employees and no gathering of more than ten employees).
- The number of customers in the outdoor park shall be limited to no greater than 50% of the outdoor park’s maximum occupancy.
- Signage shall be posted at each entrance stating no customer with a fever or other symptom of COVID-19 is permitted in the outdoor park.
- Customers shall be screened for illness prior to their entry into the outdoor park.
- Equipment must be rearranged and/or deactivated to ensure a minimum of six feet of separation between customers.
- Employees shall be regularly deployed to customer and staff touch points for cleaning and disinfecting. All high-touch areas shall be sanitized, at a minimum, once every two hours.
- Hand sanitizer shall be available at all points of entry and exit, and throughout the outdoor Customers shall be required to sanitize their hands upon entry into the outdoor park and when moving between rides or equipment.
- Food services are permitted subject to the limitations applicable to restaurants.
- Outdoor sports complexes and multi–field complexes shall limit their operations to team practices only subject to the limitations of the May 5, 2020, Proclamation.
III. This Proclamation shall be effective at 8:00 a.m. on Monday, May 25, 2020, and shall remain in full force and effect until 8:00 a.m. on Monday June 1, 2020, unless it is modified, amended, rescinded, or superseded. Previous Proclamations are still in effect unless they have been subsequently modified, amended, rescinded or superseded.
Violations of this EMERGENCY PROCLAMATION will be subject to misdemeanor prosecution pursuant to Sec. 45-17-9 of the Mississippi Code of 1972, as amended, Sec. 33-15-7 and Sec. 1-9 of the Code of Ordinances of the City of Vicksburg, including a fine of up to $1,000.00 and 90 days in jail.
THIS EMERGENCY PROCLAMATION SHALL BE PLACED IN THE CITY OF VICKSBURG MINUTES AND REVIEWED EVERY THIRTY (30) DAYS AS REQUIRED BY L:AW
SO RESOLVED this the 22nd day of May
GEORGE FLAGGS, JR., MAYOR CITY OF VICKSBURG, MS
WALTER W. OSBORNE, JR., CITY CLERK
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