City of Pueblo hires team to help businesses adhere to COVID-19 guidelines

PUEBLO, Colo. (KRDO) -- The City of Pueblo is hiring nearly a dozen new employees to make sure businesses in Pueblo are adhering to the COVID-19 guidelines set by local and state health officials.

On Friday, Mayor Nick Gradisar told KRDO he is adding ten new COVID-19 education and compliance liaisons to the city's staff.

"They'll go out to businesses and make sure what the requirements are for our variance," Gradisar said. "So that we can keep the infections to a minimum. We want to keep our businesses open. The only way we can do that is keep the infection rate low, and to make sure everyone is in compliance with the variances.

These liaisons' salaries are covered by the $5.4 million the city of Pueblo received from the federal CARES Act. Gradisar says the funds from the CARES Act will also go towards COVID-19 supplies and helping Pueblo businesses impacted by the pandemic.