DELANO, Calif. — The Delano city council was set to vote on whether or not to fine businesses and households for not following the stay-at-home order. Due to technical difficulties, the meeting was postponed. And with that delay, some residents and business owners say it's something that will be on their minds until a decision is made.
"I am against it totally. They need to let us open up 25 percent and I get the social distancing, but they need to let us operate, we gotta be able to pay our rent," said Larry Ronk, owner of L.R.'s Pizza and Sports Bar.
Larry Ronk, has lived in Delano his entire life and his family has owned L.R.'s Pizza for nearly three decades.
He says since the pandemic, he's lost almost $200,000 and has remained open because he doesn't feel he has a choice. Ronk says he does not agree with the new possible Delano ordinance that would fine businesses and households for not following the current stay at home order.
"We are all just trying to pay our bills. We went into business thinking we can make a living and pay our bills, and they are taking that away from us while the other big companies are on top of each other. They don't maintain six feet they aren't monitoring them, people are overcrowding," said Ronk.
The Delano City Council was set to hear public comments and vote on the new ordinance enforcement Thursday night, limiting outdoor gatherings to 10 people from different households and enforcing state orders for businesses.
If it's not followed, a warning would be issued first, then a $100, $200, or $500 fine for each violation.
Some people think fines may work, but those amounts are too much.
"For some businesses that are doing the best to keep their money and their business intact they should be fined a little bit, but not that much," said resident Nathaniel Zuniga.
During the special meeting, many residents could not get into the Zoom conference so they decided to postpone.
The meeting is expected to resume next week and some residents say they hope the enforcement ordinance passes.
"It's a good idea people should be at home and not throwing parties, COVID is a real thing. I have experienced COVID and it's a real thing but, I never broke the rules but just went to work because I am an essential worker and still got COVID but they should be fined because it's not being stopped," said resident Claudia Duran.
You still have time to attend the meeting and the council says they will notify the public when it's happening in the next few days by social media and online.
