CC 2020-09-08_08f Letter to Governor_Personal Care ServicesMEMORANDUM
TO: CITY COUNCIL
FROM: WHITNEY MCDONALD, ACTING DEPUTY CITY MANAGER /
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR
SUBJECT: CONSIDERATION OF LETTER TO THE GOVERNOR REGARDING
COVID-19 RESTRICTIONS ON PERSONAL CARE SERVICES
DATE: SEPTEMBER 8, 2020
SUMMARY OF ACTION:
Approval of a letter to Governor Newsom regarding a reopening plan for nail salons as a
result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
IMPACT ON FINANCIAL AND PERSONNEL RESOURCES:
There are no direct fiscal impacts related to approval of the letter.
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended the City Council approve and authorize the Mayor to send a letter to
the Governor regarding the reopening plan for personal care services such as nail salons
as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
BACKGROUND:
At its August 25, 2020 meeting, Council Member George requested, and the Council
concurred, to place on a future agenda for consideration a letter to the Governor regarding
relief from COVID-19 restrictions on personal care services such as hair salons,
barbershops, and nail salons.
On August 28, 2020, Governor Newsom announced that the State’s reopening plans were
being revised and that Barber Shops and Hair Salons would be allowed to re-open their
doors for indoor services beginning on August 30, 2020. His announcement, however,
did not include other personal care services such as nail and skin salons, which are
currently precluded from operating indoors.
Item 8.f. - Page 1
CITY COUNCIL
CONSIDERATION OF LETTER TO THE GOVERNOR REGARDING PERSONAL
CARE SERVICES RELIEF
SEPTEMBER 8, 2020
PAGE 2
ANALYSIS OF ISSUES:
The attached draft letter has been prepared for City Council consideration. The letter to
Governor Newsom requests that a re-opening plan be created to assist personal care
services such as nail and skin salons in reopening, which could include guidelines already
established for barber shops and hair salons including:
Limited capacity per square footage;
Strict adherence to social distancing;
Strict adherence to face coverings; and
Strict adherence to sanitizing guidelines.
It is recommended that the City Council consider approving and authorizing the Mayor to
send the attached letter to the Governor, with copies to the State Public Health Officer,
Assembly Member Cunningham and Senator Monning. (Attachment 1)
ALTERNATIVES:
The following alternatives are provided for the Council’s consideration:
1. Approve and authorize the Mayor to send the letter;
2. Modify and approve the letter;
3. Do not approve the letter; or
4. Provide other direction to staff.
ADVANTAGES:
Approval of the letter will request and encourage the State to consider a reopening plan
for personal care services businesses in the City, which are struggling to remain in
business as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
DISADVANTAGES:
No disadvantages have been identified.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW:
Not required.
PUBLIC NOTIFICATION AND COMMENTS:
The Agenda was posted at City Hall and on the City’s website in accordance with
Government Code Section 54954.2.
Attachment:
1. Draft letter to Governor Newsom
Item 8.f. - Page 2
September 10, 2020
The Honorable Gavin Newsom Governor of California
1303 10th Street, Suite 1173
Sacramento, CA 95814
Dear Governor Newsom,
We are writing to you to express the concerns of our local personal care services businesses -
specifically nail salons – that continue to suffer under the current closure orders. Your office’s
efforts to combat the many effects of COVID-19 on our economy and well-being as a State have
been far-reaching, and we thank you for the hard work thus far. We are aware that the work is far
from being done and are writing to bring one particular issue to your attention, as we are sure
many before have done as well.
As the many sectors of our State’s economy have been allowed to re-open over the past 3
months, the process has sadly overlooked one tightly-regulated industry - beauty. We appreciate
the steps taken on August 28, 2020, to enable hair salons and barbershops to resume indoor
services. However, we remain concerned that nail and skin salons, which are already so tightly
regulated by California’s State Board of Barbering & Cosmetology, were excluded from this order
and continue to suffer excessive and unnecessary financial hardship. These businesses are a
vital part of our local economies and they deserve an equal opportunity to recover from the
devastating loss of income that has been incurred over the past 5 months of closure. As local city
officials, we cannot help but see how these businesses are struggling with the inability to operate
in any capacity. These businesses represent families in our community, people who work hard to
employ our citizens and contribute to our local charities and public services. These are OUR
people, and they are looking for our leadership to help them.
As with many other COVID-19 mandates, we believe there is a place for local governing bodies
to assist in safe and thorough enforcement of strict guidelines for these businesses to operate
safely. With every business that is forced to close their doors permanently, our communities
suffer. At this time, we believe there is a safe and reasonable way to re-open these additional
personal care salons. With limited capacity per square footage, strict adherence to social
distance, face coverings, and sanitizing guidelines, nail and skin salons can safely provide their
services. As mentioned above, they are already a strictly regulated industry, and there has been
no evidence to our knowledge that supports the idea that they would pose any additional threat
of COVID-19 transmission if they were to operate within said guidelines.
We implore you to address the impact of this continued closure of our nail and skin salon industry
and to implement the immediate re-opening of these businesses vital to our State’s economy.
On behalf of the Arroyo Grande City Council, we appreciate your urgent attention to this ever-
pressing matter.
Sincerely,
Caren Ray Russom
Mayor
ATTACHMENT 1
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