March 16, 2021
Ventura, CA – The Board of Supervisors has unanimously voted to dismiss 5 remaining COVID-19 lawsuits against non-compliant businesses.
In a joint statement on behalf of the Board of Supervisors, Chair Linda Parks stated, “The lawsuits were never meant to be punitive but rather to gain compliance with Public Health Orders. This act of goodwill is in concert with the loosening of indoor restrictions accompanying the county’s move into the red tier. We extend our deep appreciation and thanks to all businesses that have worked so hard and continue to work hard to keep their employees and customers safe from COVID by following public health guidelines. It’s crucial that all businesses follow the state issued guidance so that we can all continue to move forward. We want to make sure we all work together to protect lives and to continue reopening our County.”
COVID-19 has hit our communities in a devastating way, not only through the tragic loss of lives but also through the major financial impacts to many of our businesses. The severity of the impact to our business community has not been lost on the County Board of Supervisors. The health and economic crisis led the County Board of Supervisors to commit more than $120 million in community support to help mitigate the devastating impacts of the pandemic. As COVID-19 continued to impact local businesses, the Board
of Supervisors committed to support another $20 million dollars in business assistance grants.
Throughout the pandemic the overwhelming majority of businesses have worked hard to protect our communities through observance of public health orders. These businesses have been innovative, reinventing how they do business and also offering a safe place for their employees and customers. These businesses have shown the grit and community spirit that has shined bright through the disasters we have faced.
Business support has always been the goal of COVID-19 response efforts in our County. A one-of-a-kind in the state business ambassador program was launched early in 2020 to help businesses understand COVID safety protocols and help them identify ways to safely stay open. Unfortunately, an extremely few number of businesses refused to close indoor operations in accordance with state public health orders during the recent surge and at a time when death tolls were increasing, infections were skyrocketing and hospitals were overflowing with severely ill COVID patients.
More information about safely reopening can be found at www.vcreopens.com. Businesses in need of support are encouraged to apply for a Business Assistance Grant at www.vcbusinessgrants.org.
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