Guidance Regarding Governor Abbott's Executive Order Opening Non-Essential Business
Business Owners / Merchants / Citizens:
On Friday, April 17th the Governor signed Executive Order GA-16 opening non-essential retail businesses at 12:01 am on Friday, April 24, 2020. I am sending this email to offer guidance with respect to the Governor’s Executive Order. The Executive Order allows shopping through pickup, delivery by mail, or delivery to the customer’s doorstep with strict compliance to the following Texas Department of State Health Service requirements:
Employees:
- All employees must be trained on environmental cleaning and disinfection, hand hygiene, and respiratory etiquette.
- All employees must be screened before coming into the business for new or worsening cough; shortness of breath; sore throat; loss of taste or smell; feeling feverish or a measured temperature greater than or equal to 100.0 degrees Fahrenheit; or known close contact with a person who is lab-confirmed to have COVID-19. Any employee who meets any of these criteria should be sent home.
- Upon entering the business, employees must wash or sanitize hands.
- All employees must wear face coverings.
- Employees must maintain at least 6 feet separation from one another
Purchases:
- Retail to-go:
- All payments should be done over the phone or internet if possible, and contact should be minimized if remote payment is not available.
- Purchased items should be delivered by the employee to the backseat or trunk of the customer’s vehicle whenever possible to minimize physical contact with the customer.
- Employees must wash or sanitize their hands after each interaction with a customer, and whenever possible, must disinfect any item that came into contact with the customer.
- Retail delivery to customer’s doorstep:
- All payments should be done over the phone or internet if possible, and contact should be minimized if remote payment is not available.
- Purchased items should be delivered by an employee or third-party carrier and delivered to the customer’s doorstep. The employee or third-party carrier may not enter the customer’s house or business.
- All payments must be done over the phone or internet.
- Purchased items should be delivered by mail without customer contact.
- Retail delivery by mail:
The Governor’s Executive Order does not allow in-person shopping or any open air market shopping scenarios (e.g., tents, sidewalk shop & stroll, etc.). All shopping should be done on-line or by phone. With the gradual reopening of businesses in Smithville, I want to ensure the community takes advantage of every opportunity to support our local business owners in a safe manner. Please continue to follow all the COVID-19 precautions you have been following. Wash your hands, maintain social distance, wear your mask, stay home if possible but certainly if you are sick. Thank you in advance for your continued compliance, patience, and personal sacrifice during these unprecedented times.
Respectfully,
Robert Tamble, CSP / CET
City Manager
317 Main Street
Smithville, TX 78957
(512) 237-3282 - office
(512) 423-9390 - cell
