He said before, they did their best to tell customers to wear face coverings, but ultimately the responsibility fell on those customers. Now, business owners could face consequences if people in their establishment do not comply.
DeWine said the state would evaluate in the next week if bars, restaurants and gyms should be shut down if infection numbers continue to climb.
Some of the changes DeWine announced this week include requiring businesses where face coverings are required to post signs at public entrances. Business owners will also be responsible for ensuring that customers and employees are wearing masks.
Alex Dietz, the economic development coordinator for Clark County, said the enhanced mandate adds more state oversight.
Part of the enhanced order is the creation of a new Retail Compliance Unit, led by the state’s Bureau of Workers Compensation. The unit will be able to issue punitive actions for businesses that don’t comply.
Dietz said his understanding is that the additional oversight will apply to restaurants and bars as well. Previously, enforcement laid at the hands of local health districts. However, the unit created by the state will be able to issue warnings or orders that can close stores for up to 24 hours.
Dietz said he believes the enforcement changes are intended to make sure that Ohioans know that the mask mandate is a requirement and not an option unless they are medically exempt.
Freeman said it is very rare that a customer comes into his businesses not wearing a mask. He said the restaurants have extra masks that can be provided and they plan to ask customers who do not comply to order online or do curbside pickup.
“If we want to stay open, we have to do some policing,” Freeman said.
Freeman co-owns the Le Torte Dolci bakery as well as the Salato Deli on North Fountain Avenue in downtown Springfield. He and his wife also own Crust & Company at COhatch The Market.
Crust & Company is located in a space that in total has five restaurants and two bars. Freeman said enforcement there would be a combined effort between those businesses as well as with representatives of COhatch.
“The reality of the situation is that we take it very seriously here. We are doing the best with what we are given," said Joseph Harrison, the community orchestrator for COhatch The Market.
The biggest change would be that patrons dining in would be required to keep their mask on unless they are actively drinking or eating, he said. In addition, there is more of a push for business owners themselves to enforce the mandate.
“We are a private company. This is not a public space. We can ask people to leave and we have masks that can be provided," Harrison said.
Mike McDorman, the president and CEO of the Chamber of Greater Springfield, said it is not much of a shift compared to what is already in place.
The mandate is asking business owners to be vigilant, McDorman said. The governor believes that wearing face coverings is an important piece to that and it applies to everyone, he said.
“They are going to do the best that they can in this situation. Most are already doing that. But, the ones that aren’t have received a pretty strong warning,” McDorman said of the local business community.
“(DeWine) is trying to do the right thing. But we would hate to see our businesses shutdown again. We continue to talk to our local businesses. They are remaining vigilant. They need to stay on that path in order to stay open,” McDorman said.
Louie Ortega, who owns the Painted Pepper restaurant at COhatch, said that he aims to respond the best way he can if a shutdown order is issued. That includes developing back up plans such as focusing on curbside delivery or creating family meals to go.
Ortega said they may also take their food truck out to different neighborhoods. He said that the pandemic has already had an impact on his business, noting a major decline in foot traffic.
Alex Hamler, a customer at COhatch on Thursday, said that she believes DeWine’s heart is in the right place, but added that a shutdown, should it come to that, would be devastating for local businesses , especially restaurants.
“I think that is probably what is necessary to get this under control. But I think it is absolutely going kill restaurants and bars. There are so many great local places all around the Dayton area and I think it’s going to crush them having to close back up.”
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