FRESNO, CA (KMJ) — Fresno Mayor Lee Brand announces he and other officials have sent a letter to Governor Gavin Newsom, urging the State to allow limited, safe indoor dining in Fresno County.
During a press conference held at Fresno City Hall on Thursday, Mayor Brand, along with Fresno County Supervisor Buddy Mendes, Council Members Luis Chavez and Mike Karbassi, and officials from the California Restaurant Association, spoke about the dire need for the city to be able to allow the reopening of dining in Fresno.
Mayor Brand emphasized that a group of leaders from Fresno and Fresno County, the Fresno Chamber of Commerce – and he hoped to get the City of Clovis on board – as they are backing the push to reopen area dining establishments to bring revenue back to so many restaurants that are in danger of closing because of the long-standing restrictions by the state during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Brand said that the region would lose the diversity offered by all the different kinds of restaurants, and that Fresno would become a town of fast food joints, not that he had a problem with fast food, he joked during the press conference.
Supervisor Buddy Mendes said when the restaurants opened back up they never should have closed, again.
Mayor Brand said local businesses are struggling to bring in even 50% of their revenue and thousands of employees are close to losing their jobs.
Mayor Brand said he also texted Governor Newsom on Thursday, and attached the letter.
Mayor Brand was joined by members of the California Restaurant Association, including Chuck Van Fleet, President of the Fresno Chapter, Lorraine Salazar, the State Second Vice Chair of the California Restaurant Association, and Mike Shirinian, the State Board Member, from the California Restaurant Association.
On Wednesday, Fresno City Councilman Garry Bredefeld held a news conference calling on the governor to open not just restaurants but also all other businesses, churches, and schools.
Councilman Bredefeld also called out the mayor and city manager for their part in shuttering businesses since March.
Click to listen to the reports by KMJ’s Liz Kern:
