Greeley businesses could soon operate at Level Yellow as city continues to pursue 5-Star variance

By Kelly Ragan

The City of Greeley has been working for weeks to hash out a plan to get a variance to allow restaurants and other local businesses to operate with lesser COVID-19 restrictions.

The 5-star variance program, if approved, would essentially act as a partnership between the city, the chamber of commerce, and the state health department. If small businesses agree to follow specific procedures around health and safety, they can have some restrictions loosened. But last week Gov. Jared Polis announced all Level Red counties would be moved to Level Orange. So, where does that leave the 5-star variance application?

The city is still moving forward with it.

“We didn’t give an ounce of thought to pulling back,” Greeley Mayor John Gates said at a Greeley Area Chamber of Commerce meeting Tuesday.

Though the goal had initially been to bump Greeley from Level Red to Level Orange to allow businesses to reopen with 25% capacity, the basic function of the variance still stands – if approved by the state, the businesses adhering to 5-star variance guidelines would be allowed to operate at one level below the designated COVID-19 dial.

“If we get the variance, and assuming people are smart and our numbers keep declining, we might be able to get businesses up to 50% capacity,” Gates said.

Anissa Hollingshead, city clerk, said as of Tuesday, the city hadn’t yet received final approval.

Greeley’s COVID-19 metrics still place it in Level Red, Hollingshead said. For businesses to operate at Level Yellow (assuming the 5-Star variance gets approved), Greeley would have to get its numbers into Level Orange territory.

Public health experts have also expressed support for the variance.

Mark Wallace, former Executive Director of the Weld County Department of Public Health and Environment and current Chief Clinical Officer of Sunrise Community Health, even wrote a letter of support for the plan.

At a Greeley Area Chamber of Commerce meeting Tuesday, Wallace said he’s heard over and over again that business owners want guidance to ensure they are opening safely and doing the right thing.

The 5-star variance, Wallace said, does just that.

“Those of us who understand COVID-19 from a health perspective are here to help provide a level playing field and base this guidance on public health so your customers have confidence,” Wallace said.

In 2020, Wallace announced his retirement from the health department after clashing with Weld County Commissioners.

Aimee Hutson, co-owner of Aunt Helen’s Coffee House and Jerri J’s Cakes, spoke during the meeting.

Hutson said she wanted to understand how to keep her customers – many of whom are her friends – safe as her businesses began to reopen. For that, she wants to turn to public health experts, she said.

“This variance offers some guidance,” she said. “…I think our community is ready to have their confidence increased by a variance program.”