Phase 1 reopening plan for bars and restaurants hard to swallow

SEELEY LAKE – "I want to make sure you guys are safe and customers have the ability to be safe in here," said Kris Martin, owner of The Filling Station as she stood in front of her employees April 26. "I have to get back in business so I can stay alive and hopefully everyone has a job when all of this is over and not with someone else."

After reviewing Governor Steve Bullock's statewide reopening directives released Wednesday, April 22, Martin called a meeting with her employees. Even though they weren't paid to be there, 13 of the 18 employees attended and the others wanted to be there. Her objective was simple, give them the requirements they must comply with and discuss the possibility of reopening May 4. The decision was clear. They cannot reopen May 4 with the restrictions in place and be financially viable.

"I guess there are billions of dollars going out but it is not coming to Seeley Lake," said Martin. "Reopening is not as easy [as the Governor made everyone believe]."

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Missoula County Health Department closed dine-in at restaurants, bars and casinos March 16 for a week. The Health Department said the decision would be reconsidered in a week.

The Filling Station posted on their Facebook page March 18, "We attempted take-out but there just isn't enough business this time of year to operate. The Filling Station is a meeting place....a friends and family place. [It is] very hard to be that during this particular crisis."

All hopes of reopening the next week were crushed when Bullock issued a state of emergency March 20 closing on-premise consumption at restaurants, bars and closing casinos statewide.

Martin kept her staff on to deep clean. She distributed as much produce, dairy and other perishables as possible and returned kegs to the beer distributors that would take back. She started updating the sign on Highway 83 with a daily message of "Zombie Apocalypse" to bring a smile to anyone driving by.

When the Governor imposed the stay at home directive, Martin posted March 28, "We will not open until allowed to do so completely. The Governor has allowed for package liquor and even "to-go" and "take-out" cocktails. I personally believe that it should be normally legal but to do so during a pandemic disaster is, in my opinion, reckless and maybe even unconscionable. I have to follow my gut on this one and not participate. My employees will be better served by going on unemployment and The Filling Station will be better served by using up our reserves as slowly as possible."

The Montana Restaurant, Tavern and Gaming Industry Associations submitted a proposed reopening plan for Phase 1 to the Governor's office April 18. They proposed plans and processes to maintain six feet of distance and/or a physical barrier between groups or individuals; groups sizes less than 10 people; no customers within six feet of drink preparation areas; and either six feet of distance between casino games, a physical barrier or require patrons to wear a face mask while in the casino. Using these recommendations as a jumping off point, Martin reconfigured the bar and restaurant so she was ready to open.

While the statewide reopening plan for Phase 1 called for six feet of distancing, all the other requirements were more stringent including seven feet of distance between casino games and no seating allowed at the bar.

When Bullock was asked in a press conference April 22 regarding the significant deviations from the recommendations, he said his staff has been working on the reopen plan for the past two weeks with individuals from the industry and public health.

"What we are doing is say what is the best way to mitigate spread and further exposure knowing that this is going to be a gradual approach," said Bullock. "We will continue to have conversations with [members of the Associations and restaurant owners] and others and continue to look at the data [so we can get in and stay in Phase 1]."

As soon as the Governor announced restaurants and bars could begin reopening May 4, Martin began fielding phone calls about scheduling parties and karaokee. While she is excited to see her customers again, things will have to be different. Feeling hamstrung by the Phase 1 requirements, she reached out to her employees for their input.

At the voluntary staff meeting April 26, Martin explained to her employees what the Phase 1 requirements would look like for The Filling Station. To reopen she would need to bring everyone back on to cover the two shifts per day.

In the restaurant, they could seat customers at six of the 11 tables and two of three large booths. This would account for the 50% capacity requirement and six feet of distance between groups of six people or less. There would be no condiments on the tables and everything would either need to be disposed of or sanitized between customers.

The only seating in the bar would be at the three tables. Customers must be seated before being served and they would be required to close at 11:30 p.m. All the pool sticks would have to be removed due to sanitation requirements.

In the casino, seven feet of distance between machines allows only seven of the 20 machines to be played. Machines and seats would need to be completely sanitized between customers. Anyone waiting for a machine would need to socially distance outside or take a seat in the restaurant or the bar.

"With how strict it is and trying to bring all of us back, I don't think you are going to make money and we are definitely not because we rely on the tips," said one of the employees.

Others echoed the sentiment adding that business is typically slow in May anyway, so to further limit capacity would make their take-home even less.

Martin said she didn't apply for a Payroll Protection Program loan and that is not a reason for bringing everyone back. She is grateful that her employees can make a living wage through unemployment with the extra $600 per month.

Employees were grateful for the assistance as well, but they were all ready to get back to work. One of the bartenders shared she is making $170 on unemployment plus the $600 per week. Once taxes are taken out, she estimated she is still making less than she would be if she was working.

"It looks like we have all this money but we would have earned that had we been working," added another employee. "There is a stopping point to when that money runs out. None of us are going to sit at home and just draw on unemployment. Our future is more important than a temporary bandaid."

While everyone in the room expressed a desire to get back to work, a normal routine and see their customers and co-workers again, their excitement was tempered by the unknown.

"I would hate to come back to work and make less money for everyone, just to close the doors again or see someone here get sick," said one employee.

Martin expressed her concern that the Governor's directives work against employee safety.

If there are no bar stools, people will go right to the bar and ask for a drink. This requires an employee to tell them to sit down before they are served. The casino would have similar issues when people are waiting for a machine. Since they can't wander around visiting like they used to with a drink in their hand, an employee would need to tell them to go outside or sit down. It would add to frustration and increase conversation.

"Customers don't like to be told what to do...Now there is more physical contact than if they would have [just sat down]," said Martin. "For the most part customers need to be responsible for themselves. They need to understand the seriousness of it ... but this may have been the first time they have heard all this."

There are also a high percentage of Martin's employees that are either 65 or older or have health conditions that makes them high risk for COVID-19 complications. While all employees will be required to wear a mask, everything will be sanitized between customers and hand sanitizer will be readily available for employees and customers, Martin said they can't protect against everything.

"I wish I knew more. This is a group effort. If you aren't here, I'm not here," said Martin. "I don't want to put anybody at risk."

"I think everyone is ready to go back to work and to a normal life, we just want to do it safely," said an employee. "That is bottom line. Everyone wants to be healthy."

Another employee of 13 years added, "This is our place, this is our family."