Pueblo announces most common COVID-19 violations in restaurants and bars

PUEBLO, Colo. (KRDO) — More than 60 restaurants and bars in Pueblo have had no COVID-19 violations since the city’s COVID-19 Education and Compliance program was launched on Aug. 14. 

Mayor Nick Gradisar says the compliance team was hired with federal CARES Act money. It has visited more than 500 sites in Pueblo in the last month and a half.

Mask violations were the most common type of violation. Data shows 105 mask violations at Pueblo restaurants and bars since mid-August. A total of 69 businesses were recorded not properly screening employees for COVID-19.

COVID-19 Education and Compliance Violations*

• COVID MASK VIOLATIONS                                105
• COVID CONTACT TRACING LOGS                     32
• COVID DISINFECT SEATING                              14
• COVID EMPLOYEE SCREENING                        69
• COVID GLOVES (RESTAURANTS)                      3
• COVID HANDWASHING                                      4
• COVID MENU DISINFECT                                   5
• COVID OCCUPANCY LIMITS                               3
• COVID OTHER                                                       75
• COVID PARTY SIZE                                               9
• COVID REQUIRED SIGNAGE                              37
• COVID SEATING (RESTAURANTS)                     17
• COVID SELF SERVE FOOD                                  36
• COVID SOCIAL DISTANCING                             35

*Businesses can have multiple violations on separate site visits.

“If we have one or two businesses that are intentionally violating the requirements of the variances, and they have a license that’s issued by the city of Pueblo -- a liquor license -- that we’ll summarily suspend that license for a weekend to get their attention,” Gradisar said.

According to the city, no licenses have been suspended for violating COVID-19 regulations so far. However, Mayor Gradisar says he is drafting letters to seven or eight businesses that continue to violate health orders.

The letters will let restaurants and bars know that their license could be temporarily suspended if another COVID-19 violation is reported to the mayor’s office.

But there were also dozens of businesses that had no violations after follow-up inspections, making the city's "COVID-19 Safety All-Starts" list.

Watch KRDO Newschannel 13 at 10:00 to find out how long Pueblo’s COVID-19 Education and Compliance program is expected to last.