COVID restrictions eased

Statewide restrictions were eased earlier this week by Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak allowing residents to attend city meetings in person as well as visit a restaurant without reservations and with a larger group or participate in small gatherings.

As of Monday, Feb. 15, restaurants and other facilities were allowed to operate at 35 percent capacity instead of 25 percent, public gatherings and events can have 100 people or 35 percent of the fire code capacity and libraries can operate at 50 percent capacity.

Boulder City Communications Manager Lisa LaPlante said meeting attendance will be capped at 15 people and attendees must socially distance and wear a face covering. Those who want to attend must RSVP with the city clerk’s office at 702-293-9208. The meetings will also continue to be livestreamed and people can call in to give comments or submit them through email at cityclerk@bcnv.org.

“I believe there are people who have not been vaccinated that will be concerned about their health and well-being in public areas,” said Fire Chief Will Gray, who is leading the pandemic incident response team in Boulder City. “The technology makes it easier for those (with) health concerns (to) feel connected to city meetings and processes.”

The lobby of the parks and recreation building also will be open to visitors but interior offices there, at City Hall and other city buildings will remain closed to the public. Visitors will be required to answer some COVID-19 screening questions and have their temperatures taken.

Boulder City Library reopened Tuesday, Feb. 16, for limited services. It’s open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday and from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Friday and Saturday for computer, printer and copier access.

“Masks are required for in-building services,” said Samantha Bigger, head of information services. “We are asking that patrons use our curbside service to pick up items.”

To schedule a curbside appointment, call the library at 702-293-1281.

Additionally, reservations are no longer required to eat at restaurants and six patrons can now sit at a table instead of four. There is also no occupancy limit for outside seating.

Sisolak made these changes after Nevada’s COVID-19 numbers had dropped and said the decision to reopen the state “remains fraught and will be driven by science.”

“Some people want you to open everything up, some people want you to close everything down. Some people want you to have no capacity limits, others want strict capacity limits,” the governor said. “It is a difficult tightrope balancing act to attempt to keep our people as safe as we can by vaccinating them, protecting our health care workers, and our hospital capacity, and at the same time, get our economy moving. We’ve got unemployment that’s still too high. I’ve got too many people that are out of work that are looking to go to work and businesses that are struggling and hanging on by a thread.”

If the COVID numbers continue to improve, more restrictions will fall and restaurants will be able to operate at 50 percent capacity and public gatherings will move to 250 people or 50 percent capacity on March 15.

Las Vegas Review-Journal reporter Bill Dentzer contributed to this report.

Contact reporter Celia Shortt Goodyear at cgoodyear@bouldercityreview.com or at 702-586-9401. Follow her on Twitter @csgoodyear.