In a proclamation on Monday, Mayor Richard Newton announced that changes would be made to the implementation of the city’s disaster declaration while still in keeping with Governor Greg Abbott’s executive order.
“While safety remains our top priority, we also recognize the need to re-open our city. We are beginning that process in a methodical and safe way,” Newton said in a letter to Colleyville employers which accompanied the proclamation.
Effective immediately, religious services will no longer be prohibited so long as social distancing guidelines can be followed at in-person gatherings. The proclamation encourages houses of worship to still conduct remote services whenever possible following the attorney general’s guidelines.
Elective surgery and other medical procedures may resume and gatherings of ten or less are no longer limited to family only.
A few more restrictions will be lifted starting on Friday, April 24.
Restaurants and dining establishments may open patio dining for customers, so long as an appropriate distance is maintained between tables.
Hair salons, massage establishments, and gyms can re-open for one-on-one service by appointment only. Fitness classes can also resume with groups of ten or fewer.
The proclamation does require that appropriate personal protective equipment be utilized during these appointments.
Additionally, retail stores that have not been deemed “essential” can re-open for delivery, pick-up, or in-store appointments.
The mayor’s proclamation states that Colleyville’s city charter gives him the authority to administer the emergency declaration and that his proclamation is in keeping with Governor Abbott’s April 17 order.
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Kim Roberts
Kim Roberts is a regional reporter for the Texan in the DFW metroplex area where she has lived for over twenty years. She has a Juris Doctor from Baylor University Law School and a Bachelor's in government from Angelo State University. In her free time, Kim home schools her daughter and coaches high school extemporaneous speaking and apologetics. She has been happily married to her husband for 23 years, has three wonderful children, and two dogs.
