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Kentucky Restaurant Association President Reacts To Reopening Guidelines

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Kentucky’s “Healthy at Work” initiative is moving along, with restaurants slated to reopen in a limited capacity May 22. A leader for an organization representing the commonwealth’s restaurants joined Paducah Area Chamber of Commerce members Tuesday for a webinar to discuss the state’s reopening guidance. 

The Paducah chamber hosted the webinar to answer questions from restaurant owners about procedures for resuming in-person operations. Chamber President Sandra Wilson said she believes Paducah’s restaurants will fulfill the requirements imposed by Governor Andy Beshear.

Kentucky Restaurant Association Stacy Roof agrees, and said she is working closely with restaurants throughout Kentucky to ensure full compliance.

“We’re going above and beyond to meet and exceed everything that is required of us,” Roof explained.

Roof said the association was not consulted as the governor’s office worked to establish the restaurant guidelines for reopening. She said she was hoping for greater input from the business community to the government.

“I wish that we had a task force or an advisory board as other states have had with industry leaders on it so that our administration would understand some of the unique things that our restaurants have in place,” Roof said.

One requirement for restaurants to reopen is the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) by all employees in contact with other people. This includes face coverings and gloves in some instances, including payment transactions. Roof said this mandate could be uncomfortable for employees, especially those in the kitchen. She said she encourages frequent breaks for those wearing masks.

“With restaurants, that presents a unique challenge,” Roof said of the PPE requirement.

Roof also said she was disappointed in the requirement for 33% seating capacity. She said she advocated for at least 50% capacity in the reopening process. The low percentage of customers allowed in dining rooms, coupled with the cost of procuring personal protective equipment, will further strain already thin profit margins, she said.

“You’ve got a lot of expenses; you’re not making money,” Roof said.

You can find more information on the phased reopening of Kentucky’s economy here.

Dalton York is a Morning Edition host and reporter for WKYU in Bowling Green. He is a graduate of Murray State University, where he majored in History with a minor in Nonprofit Leadership Studies. While attending Murray State, he worked as a student reporter at WKMS. A native of Marshall County, he is a proud product of his tight-knit community.
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