Nevada County revokes food permits for businesses that failed to comply with COVID-19 mandates

UPDATE at 9:02 a.m., July 22, 2020:

The county revoked the permits of Old Town Cafe, Friar Tuck’s and Sergio’s Caffe, said Amy Irani, director of the county’s Environmental Health Department.

From a Tuesday, July 21, 2020, release:

Today, Nevada County Environmental Health delivered a Notice of Violation to local food facilities who refused to come into compliance with State COVID-19 mandates, risking the health and safety of both their employees and customers. A Notice of Violation effectively revokes the food facility’s food permit.

The county did not name the businesses affected by the permit revocations.

“As cases continue to increase in Nevada County, COVID-19 remains a threat to Nevada County residents if precautions are not taken seriously”, said Jill Blake, Nevada County’s Public Health Director. “If everyone in our community contributes to limiting the spread, from our individual actions to the actions of businesses to protect their employees and customers, we can significantly slow the spread and limit additional business closures that would be mandated if placed on the State’s County Monitoring List. Those who knowingly engage in high-risk behaviors are risking the health of our entire community, including our economic health.”

“The phrase ‘It takes a village’ applies here,” said Dr. Johnson, Nevada County’s Public Health Officer. “Every person and every business must do their part so that we can stay open and protect our community members and our businesses. A bad decision by one business or community member can undo all the good work of many and put us all at risk.”

Nevada County Environmental Health has made educational visits to over 300 of Nevada County’s 350 restaurants over the past 7 days.

The majority of Nevada County restaurants have been in compliance for the public’s health and safety. Less than 5 restaurants have been unwilling to come into compliance after multiple outreach efforts to assist them to come into compliance.

If a food facility continues to operate when their food permit has been revoked, they will incur daily fines, beginning with $25, and not to exceed $1000/day.

Nevada County will continue to support businesses who have worked and continue to work to protect their staff and customers.

Nevada County’s goal is that education will achieve compliance long before needing to take further action such as revoking a facility’s food permit. However, Nevada County is committed to keeping our community healthy and enforcing the recommended precautions to keep our businesses open under the State mandates.

Everyone’s actions and behavior makes a difference, and will, to a great extent, determine our case rate, threats to vulnerable populations, and whether or not our economy can stay open.

Source: Nevada County