Pueblo-area leaders reveal intent, plans to qualify for state’s 5-Star Certification Program

PUEBLO, Colo. (KRDO) -- City and county officials outlined their strategy Tuesday to apply for a state program that could help businesses closed or with reduced operations because of the pandemic health restrictions, open sooner.

However, the state is not yet ready to accept applications from affected business owners because so many counties remain too high on the COVID-19 dial, such as Pueblo's level red.

The 5-Star Certification Program requires businesses to go above and beyond current health requirements to keep customers safe while allowing limited indoor dining or similar increased operations at restaurants, bars, gyms and other small businesses.

"Tables have to be 10 ft. apart indoors, , there has to be a reservation system, they have to have protocols in place to check symptoms of employees on a daily basis," said Pueblo Mayor Nick Gradisar. "The ventilation system has to be adequate. There's a whole myriad of things."

Local governments won't be allowed to use local health department resources to earn certification, Gradisar said. There also will be periodic inspections and a business can lose its certification if it fails just one inspection.

Gradisar said that local leaders will finalize the county's plan and send it to the state within 10 days for approval, and that individual businesses can submit applications for certification to an oversight committee.

"While we're waiting on the state, we can get a lot of work done on our end," he said. "And it will give us time to get our COVID numbers down. If you're a certified business, you can operate at an orange level, for example, if you're in the red. So you can have more customers inside. And being certified is like advertising. People will see and know that you're taking the extra step to keep them safe."

The 5-Star program is based on variances the state granted to Mesa County and the Grand Junction area for meeting similar requirements.

"But we feel like we're way ahead of the game," said Pueblo City Councilman Mark Aliff. "We hired a task force three weeks ago to start looking into this. A lot of people were involved. The goal is when the state says that we can open, we'll be able to open immediately -- not have to wait for another two or three weeks while we get businesses that are conforming to the program."

Jill Penfield, a manager at Angelo's Pizza Parlor, on Pueblo's Riverwalk, said she had heard of the plan but knew few details about it.

"I don't know how much above and beyond we can go," she said. "We're already cleaning every chance we get, when we're not doing takeout or delivery. But whether or not there's a 5-Star program, we still have to wait. That's what's been so frustrating for us."

Gradisar's sense of urgency is clear.

"Every day we wait is another day that a business may get closer to going out of business," he said.

The Brass Saddle, a restaurant and bar on Pueblo's south side, exemplifies some of the frustrations being felt by business owners.

"We were told that we had to close while other places like ours have remained open," said one of the owners of The Brass Saddle. "We've applied for financial aid and haven't received any. No one has given us an explanation. So we're definitely going to apply for the 5-Star program."

Pueblo County Commissioner Chris Wiseman urged business owners to remain optimistic that better times are ahead.

"There's a lot of help for small businesses at this time," he said. "I know that's not enough for people. We're trying to do everything we can to get small businesses open."

Wiseman also shared some positive financial developments for the county.

"We don't have to spend all of the $6 million in federal pandemic recovery funds (for businesses) by the end of the year, after all," he said. "That'll make it easier for us to distribute. We're also going to get more money for that purpose, from a bill that was passed by lawmakers in the special session of the Legislature. We don't know how much that'll be yet."

Finally, Wiseman said the county, in early January, will start a fourth round of applications for financial assistance to small businesses.