Boise Mayor Orders Closure of Bars, Restaurants
In a press conference just after 2:30 p.m. today, Thursday, March 19, Boise Mayor Lauren McLean has ordered the closure of all bar and restaurant dine-in service by midnight tonight, as well as announcing other changes in policy due to the continued Coronavirus pendemic.
Firstly, all bars and restaurants will cease to host dine-in service of any kind as of midnight tonight. She stated that any service of "pick-up, drive-through or drive-up" will remain open to service customers
"We need to change the way we eat, we exercise we work and we play," The Mayor said.
In addition to the closures, Mayor McLean stated that a to be determined amount of parking meters in front of bar and restaurant establishments will no longer be paid parking. Instead, those spaces will be reserved exclusively for pick-up customers to drive up and leave efficiently.
When a member of the press asked the exact number and places of those spaces, McLean said those details were being determined.
When a second member of the press asked about the City's plan for now unemployed workers of the service industry, McLean said she will fight "fiercely" for increased unemployment benefits.
During the same conference, McLean discussed changes to childcare licensing policy including the extension of standing childcare practitioners and businesses whose license may expire during the closure of City of Boise operations.
"Currently valid licenses will be valid through the end of April," McLean verified. She also stated that the City Clerk's office will be open to process any new childcare licenses as the increase of workers needed is certain to increase.