Local area restaurants owners and retailers continue to struggle under Governor Sisolak’s crushing restrictions as outlined in his Nevada Statewide Pause, but many business owners refuse to give up – or in.
The Churchill County Business Owners' Alliance (CCBOA) met Thursday, December 10th, to discuss potential options for businesses trying to stay afloat while hedged in by the restrictive capacity mandates.
CCBOA founders Jesse Segura, owner of 3-Dimension shipping and Fallon Glass & Sign, along with Paul Picotte and his wife Tiffany, owners of The Grid, recently met with Reno attorney, Joey Gilbert, Esq., along with the Churchill County Sheriff Richard Hickox, and Undersheriff Bill Lowery. During the meeting, they learned that other Nevada counties are taking action in response to the business restrictions currently in place. White Pine County recently wrote a resolution claiming an economic state of emergency. Eureka County is considering the same.
According to Segura and Picotte, Sheriff Hickox informed them that all local business owners are free to ask OSHA enforcement officers to leave their establishments. The Sheriff’s Office will enforce the request and state that OSHA's presence is creating a disturbance. Businesses can also request that OSHA enforcement officers return with a warrant. According to Gilbert, doing so also creates a vulnerability as OSHA can then come back and search the premises. Hickox also warned that OSHA officers have the authority to enter a business posing as a customer without identifying themselves. However, they must do so if they are operating in an official capacity, such as an inspection or issuing a warning/citation.
The Picottes’ also reported on their meeting with Joey Gilbert and clarified that they were personally seeking legal advice for their business, separate from the CCBOA. However, any business owners who would like to join them is welcomed to do so. Gilbert cautioned against filing a lawsuit at this time to avoid drawing any unnecessary attention from OSHA. He is working on filing a lawsuit in another rural county. If it is approved, it could help pave the way for business owners in communities like Churchill. The best thing area business owners can do, according to Gilbert, is to continue to do business as usual.
The CCBOA also met with City of Fallon officials last week to address their concerns. According to Segura, the city is collecting revenue data from area business owners willing to share numbers comparing profits from this year with those from last year, in order to show impacts from the COVID situation.
The Alliance stated they are happy to collect those numbers from anyone willing to provide them and keep records to strengthen their stance and demonstrate that every business needs to be 100% open in Nevada.
At this time, the primary goal of the CCBOA is to boost the membership base and encourage businesses to support one another in these unprecedented times. There are currently 36 businesses on board. The group also hopes to expand their reach and help businesses within the community to provide the best service possible for the town.
The CCBOA is encouraging local business owners to join. Annual membership dues are $100, but Segura is asking businesses to join even if the fee is not possible right now. "Any contributions are welcome," stated Segura, "but the priority right now is members."
For more information or to join the Churchill County Business Owners Alliance (CCBOA), email [email protected]
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