Rochester mayor surprised Walz 'turned the dial as far as he did, as quickly as he did'

Rochester Mayor Kim Norton said she has “mixed feelings” following a statewide address on Wednesday in which Gov. Tim Walz announced plans to turn the dial toward allowing more Minnesota businesses to reopen.

“I was a little surprised that he turned the dial as far as he did, as quickly as he did,” said Norton. “On the flip side, I am excited for our area businesses that have really been chomping at the bit to get their doors open.”

Norton said her hesitation was not that she does not want businesses to reopen — she does — but that she is concerned about the quick turnaround time. The actions announced Wednesday by Walz mean many retail stores, malls and other ‘Main Street’ businesses can reopen as long as they have a safety plan and operate at no more than 50 percent occupancy.

But despite efforts by Mayo Clinic, Destination Medical Center and the Rochester Area Chamber of Commerce, the mayor said she still worries about whether businesses are prepared with the proper cleaning supplies or have adequately adjusted their customer traffic-flow patterns.

“Have we reached enough of our businesses that in the next five days we can open in a really safe environment for customers?” she asked.

The mayor added that how Rochester responds will be particularly important, given its high volume of vulnerable individuals.

“I would say, in our community, that is a health care focused community, it is going to be very important we provide a safe environment for the people who live here and the people who come here for treatment,” said Norton.

In letting the state’s stay-at-home order expire on May 18, Walz is not only allowing some businesses to reopen, but also permitting people to again gather with friends and family, so long as there are no more than 10 people.

Crowded places like bars, restaurants and gyms, however, will remain closed for at least the next few weeks. Walz said they may be permitted to reopen as early as June 1 if they meet safety requirements.

The governor’s decision to begin scaling back restrictions comes as states feel increasing pressure to resume economic activity in what has become an economic crisis without precedent in modern times.

Earlier Wednesday, the governor of Iowa turned the dial a bit further than its northern neighbor by announcing that restaurants, salons and other businesses could reopen on Friday. Businesses are allowed to operate at 50 percent normal capacity. Bars and theaters remain closed until May 27.

Still, despite the reopenings, public health officials — including Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease expert — have warned that states could face serious consequences if they move too quickly.

Speaking via live stream, Walz acknowledged those concerns — saying the easing of restriction does not mean residents should live care-free. He said the situation remains fluid and the dial could be turned back if there is a surge in Covid-19 cases. As of Wednesday, health officials have reported 12,917 confirmed cases and 638 death related to the coronavirus.

“Don’t get me wrong — we believe that the safest place we can be is at home,” said Walz, a first-term Democrat. “But we know we cannot continue like this forever. So, we are gradually making turns on both the business and social dials in order to slowly and safely reopen our society.”

In our interview, Norton echoed Walz’s remarks about not wanting to move backward in the process. She urged people to continue abiding by social distancing guidelines, including wearing a face mask in public.

“I am hopeful people will take this really seriously and do the right thing first so that we can stay open, have the economy start returning to normal, and keep people safe,” said Norton.

Sean Baker is a Rochester journalist and the founder of Med City Beat.