The Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors used its emergency powers under state law to pass Urgency Ordinance No. 2020-21 that establishes administrative fines for violations of public health orders pertaining to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Board unanimously determined the ordinance, effective immediately, is necessary to provide an alternative to criminal enforcement of public health orders that will augment the ability of the County and other local agencies to ensure compliance with public health orders and combat the spread of COVID-19.
“Many people are following the Health Orders, but we need to increase our efforts together to slow the spread of COVID-19 in our community,” said Board Chair, Supervisor Candace Andersen. “To further our progress to protect lives and reopen more local businesses and activities, we need a tool to send a fair message that everyone has to adhere to health orders to prevent the spread of the virus.”
For health order violations involving non-commercial activities, the amount of the fine is $100 for a first violation, $200 for a second violation, and $500 for each additional violation within one year of the initial violation. For violations involving commercial activity, the amount of the fine is $250 for a first violation, $500 for a second violation, and $1,000 for each additional violation within one year of the initial violation. If a violation continues for more than one day, each day is a separate violation.
“People know what the doggone (health) order is, and it’s time to enforce,” Supervisor Karen Mitchoff said last Tuesday. “Sometimes you have to have a heavy hammer.”
The ordinance may be enforced in cities and special districts by officials designated by those agencies to enforce the ordinance.
What a load. Talk about opression!
@Nope and all who can’t get this through their thick heads:
“INCONVENIENCE IS NOT OPPRESSION.”
Grow up and quit whining.
I still do not get the argument that this is oppressive. Do you wear clothes when you go out? No shirt, no shorts, no shoes, no service. This is the same thing. Get over it.
Keep going Dan. Go Dan go, go Dan go! You guys got this election
Oppression: prolonged cruel or unjust treatment or control
@Anonymous2 and Dan~what part of that definition do you not understand?
Your liberties are being chisled away…when people do not realize their freedoms are being decimated, well then they don’t deserve them.
Liberty: the state of being free within society from oppressive restrictions imposed by authority on one’s way of life, behavior, or political views
@Dan
It’s not the same thing at all. Perhaps no service for no shirt, but you will not be fined $100.
Are they going to enforce on protesters
that would go against the agenda
Yes Karen, please use your hammer on the people. Your overreach will end the democrats. Keep it coming baby..I hope you give them little smart cars with purple flashing lights
The ordinance MAY be enforced rather than SHALL be enforced. We all know how well that works in California…
It’s just a threat that no one will enforce, just like what I witnessed recently in Walmart, Home Depot and other locations in California.
Given how this is a “shall issue” state regarding ccw yet only the friends of the mayor or sheriff are able to obtain such a license having this ordnance on a “shall” condition is preferable.
Of course I’m just making a dumb comparison and don’t actually mean that. Selective enforcement is the game.
“The ordinance may be enforced in cities…”
OH Look, a new source of revenue . . .
Will ticket giver shirts be black or brown ? ?
Doggone?
I think Walter Brennan used to say that on The Real Mcoys TV show.
This is great news, it is about time that they take some action against those who are threatening the public health.
I wonder if this virus were to eat away at the brain, leaving healthy people unable to control their own faculty’s, would they still be out there digging up their “theories” about how the government is out to get them?
Wow you would have made a perfect German during World War II.
@Wipe
As long as your statement “it is about time that they take some action against those who are threatening the public health.” includes protesters, which we know it doesn’t.
Action needs to be taken or this virus is going to spread! Don’t people realize this? Just look at the numbers…
freekin communist..and what are the standards for these face coverings? No science required for decision making anymore
That’s ridiculous. “Urgency” orders created and then arbitrarily enforced in order to produce revenue. This should be titled: “How to make the most of a pandemic.”
This doesn’t produce revenue. It barely pays for itself. What it does do is protect lives and businesses, and that’s the huge payoff. Please educate yourself by listening to the recording of today’s Board meeting. You’re welcome.
Whose lives my friend? The recovery rate from COVID-19 in our County is over 99%. Other than that, it’s a way to “sock it to” the businesses who are just trying to make things work. Going bankrupt helps no one! In fact, this level of policing may even turn (hold your breath) California red.
No one goes bankrupt if they just follow the simple, easy rules. Jury is still out on long term health effects, so it’s not just deaths. Please do some reading and educate yourself before responding. You’re welcome.
How do you avoid bankruptcy if your business is shutdown for weeks on end? The rents in these areas are in the $10,000 per month range. Yes, they could exist for a few weeks – some of them – but this can’t go for an extended period. When should they say “please” help” and when will the public say, “we will.”
It’s a pretty easy cause and effect. Follow the health guidance. Suppress the spread. Open up slowly. No one goes bankrupt.
@BernieM Clearly, you are not a business owner in an affected sector of the economy.
“The ordinance may be enforced in cities and special districts by officials designated by those agencies to enforce the ordinance”. There are people all over the Country who are violently lashing out at people who tell them to wear a mask. The resisters. What do you think is going to happen when these designated officials try to write them a ticket. I don’t see this ending well at all.
hey designated official, say hello to my little friend
Good. There should be huge amounts of money generated by fining protesters and rioters. (SARC)
I was recently in another State and watched the local news. The reports were about how to live with COVID-19 in a positive sense. In CA, it’s about how to oppress, union rule, and Government control.
How about the protest what y’all gonna do with that
I didn’t vote for any of the sups working so hard to appear kind while hammering their totalatarian doctrins into a free people.
The majority of the Citizens of CCC follow the health orders to the best of their ability.
Most of the people who flagrantly ignore the rules are the people who no one will ever ticket.
The people who are innocent will be harrased and punished the most while the flagrant will go free.
I hope these sups are all voted out of office next election.
I won’t vote for any of them.
“Free people”
Our constitution was dissolved when US declared chapter 11 bankruptcy in 1933.
We’re employees in a corporation, not free people of a republic. Vote red or blue, end result is a vassal state for you.
wow KAREN strikes again
“People know what the doggone (health) order is, and it’s time to enforce,” Supervisor Karen Mitchoff said last Tuesday. “Sometimes you have to have a heavy hammer.”
hmm have to consult an attorney i believe she just threatened the people from a comfy political chair and spewing hate by using derogatory remarks like doggone implying we are red necks …..
thank you KAREN it appears you have torpedoed your career with slandering and atrocious remarks about american citizens
you would have thought you would have learned from the democrat media not to infringe on americans civil liberties
A Kentucky teen and the Washington Post have settled a lawsuit over the … Nicholas Sandmann, an 18-year-old student at Covington Catholic High
let the law suites commence
wow KAREN …seems dems think they can say whatever and antagonize and berate americans ..making fun of their speech and implying their dumb with that comment and threatening them with abuse from a hammer.
san quentin should be fun for you since you love criminals like gavin
halleluiah your bank account will be byebye
oh how the left have decided they can do or say whatever they want while scolding everyone else ….
Big thumbs up to CC County. Really hope this helps to keep everyone masked up!
In many Islamic countries, governments use their own interpretation of Islamic laws to force women wear hijab, stay home, not go to school, and etc., and we call those countries dictatorships! Then here, we have the Democrats who use their own interpretation of science to force the entire population, wear masks, stay home, not work, not go to school…… So scary!!
“Use their own interpretation of science”. Seriously?! Facts are facts. Masks save lives, social distancing saves lives.
Since we’re on matters of choice, I think I’ll ignore the stop lights (my choice) if someone hits me, that’s their problem.
Masks don’t save lives. You really have to stretch to believe a mask with holes 10x larger then a virus is “saving lives”. Come on, who do you think your talking to? Do you really think people are stupid? It’s an insulting statement.
In a county of 1.1 million ppl, Coco County has 7k cases and 108 deaths yet we have this Gestapo approach. This is about govt control more than disease mitigation. Don’t be fooled, people.
Masks are BS.
https://www.infectioncontroltoday.com/view/cloth-masks-are-useless-against-covid-19
Comes down to money… of course. Shame on the Supervisors. “Sometimes you need a hammer”-mitchoff. Shame on you supervisor Mitchoff. You are an ELECTED representative. Show your constituents more respect.
This doesn’t produce revenue. It barely pays for itself. What it does do is protect lives and businesses, and that’s the huge payoff. Please educate yourself by listening to the recording of today’s Board meeting. You’re welcome.
Their reasoning doesn’t make sense. This is about money
Remember when they said, wearing a mask is to keep us from touching our faces and eyes and we wouldn’t get COVID-19. Keep a minimum of six feet apart (10 feet would be better) to avoid anyone coughing on you and cover your mouth and nose with a mask or home made mask, so as not to breathe germs if someone coughs around you. Well, we are healthier than ever at my house. No one had the spring early summer cold we typically get. No one had the flu. Something must be working. Yes the mask is an inconvenience but I am better off safe than sorry.
Do y’all wear crash helmets in the car?
G A R B A G E.
And masks DON’T work.
Interesting that the video of Doctors speaking out is being heavily censored!!!
You will comply.
Time to drain the swamp in California!
Bring it on, “Karen.”
You won’t like the reaction.
Really folks, if y’all had listened and obeyed back in March, followed recommendations, there wouldn’t have to be fines, we’d all be back to work. But you had to stomp your feet like a bunch of toddlers, now look where we are.
That’s not how any of this works.
Jazzman You make too much sense. Most are overreacting. Just wear the mask, if then later on their is a government overreach then start to get worried. I thought that now after Trump came out for wearing mask I thought more of his supporters would be more willing to wear one.
Y’all boomers are called the ME generation for a reason. And look what y’all are doing. A virus with a 99.8 percent survival rate is locking down the entire country cuz a bunch of boomers got scared. Hahahahaha.
@L0L – Did you read ANY of the comments before posting??? Most people are NOT scared, and that’s why they are saying this Urgency Ordinance is a crock. Ya – there’s approximately a “99.8% percent survival rate”. We all know this. That’s why most people on this thread are critical of the overreacting and fear-mongering tactics being used by local and State government. Try to keep up. Hahahahahahahahaha
Hahahahaha!
I bet everyone who has commented negatively here wears a mask when it’s necessary, like going inside Target.
No one likes wearing masks. But we must. It’s just common sense these days to wear one.
True. But you’d be surprised how little you miss when avoiding the mask scene. So much money saved. Way healthy diet. It’s not common sense, it’s the state imposing unlawful mandates on businesses. Common sense would say masks are useless due to the virus being 10x smaller then the holes on a mask. That’s what common sense actually means.
You can take yer fine and stick it where the sun don’t shine.
This is all about government control. If you do not comply they will destroy you.
If not with a hammer, then by other means.
This is EXACTLY what we need. Consequences for the actions of foolish people.
I’m going to fully exercise my freedom to call the authorities every chance I get when I see the health directives being violated. Not because I’m an a&&hole, but because I want to protect myself, my community, the economy, and hopefully get this thing behind us.
Wear a face covering, wash your hands, distance, and stay home when you’re sick. Simple, easy.
Oh I fully agree..This is a great move by democrats. Yes definitely call “the authorities”. This is the greatest Trump plan yet. Please show democrat cities fining and arresting non mask wearers. Oh this is gonna be good. I would think after 4 years of falling in his traps some of you may learn. Common sense is like a super power these days…definitely a great plan and sure to win the election👍🏼👍🏼
Off topic again 👎 This is nothing to do with politics. It’s everything to do with health and economics. Simple, easy. No conflation necessary.
It does now
@?BernieM… I sincerely suggest you find something positive in life to focus your energy on. Stop worrying about others. Look into yourself and see the good in the world. Breath in some nature.
@BernieM:
“I’m going to fully exercise my freedom to call the authorities every chance I get when I see the health directives being violated.”
Good for you. If someone shows up and they can’t show me a badge and identification as law enforcement, he or she can pound sand right along side of you.
Complaining != refusing, fyi.
If you complain and you wear it– which is completely understandable, because wearing the damned things is bloody miserable– then it’s the same as wearing one and not complaining.
Complaining = 0
Complaining + wearing = wearing – complaining
Complaining + refusing = refusing – complaining
In short, complaining is meaningless one way or another.
Heh, this was supposed to be a reply somewhere 😉 Oh well.
@Lizzee—loved your equation with words!! I’m a complainer but wear the mask, all the while being bloody miserable…
Let’s put the shoe on the other foot where it squarely belongs.
When anti-maskers put their comfort, vanity, rights, or whatever other selfish reason they have above what scientists, researchers, and medical experts advise is best for the greater good of all, I feel oppressed by the pandemic needlessly going on and on and on ….
Quadruple the fines for the second offense and beyond!!
How are rights selfish? That is a ridiculous statement.
😉Legalize it! 😜 = 🚫😷
Time to read Sinclair Lewis’s “It Can’t Happen Here”.
this is a joke, just like those who control us
About time. Enforcement has pretty much been foisted upon low paid employees, instead of being managed by actual authorities who can make non-compliance sting. I bet there are a lot of retail and grocery employees breathing a huge sigh of relief right now.
As if Trump needed any help. The democrats go full fascist. Who would have thought they would totally gift us 4 more years like this? Not me, but then I can never predict the lows they are willing to go..keep it up kids
The CA Marxist Democrat party and their bureaucrats are going against the directives of the PresidentIal task force who want schools to open and masks to be recommended but left as a personal choice
I would hope at some point we could see Justice Dept come in and nullify some of these crazy blue-state petit dictatorships
These people have not been able to govern in good faith and have instead politicized a minor virus and are terrorizing their captive population with these threats of administrative actions
Woah wait so
Let me get this straight
The argument seems to be that scientists said we need to wear masks because it stops the spread
They and you say wear the mask if you have symptoms
And the ones who don’t have symptoms need to wear it to protect themselves
From others who may have it and not have symptoms
So if you are at risk wear a mask so you don’t spread or get it
If you are not at risk then wear a mask so you don’t look different from the others
And show me a scientist that has made the claim that a mask any masks be it also a bandanna or cheesecloth or a old pair of underwear
Will save you
Missouri here show me the scientist who has made an absolute about Covid and it’s transmission and method of transmission and means of transmission
And the transmission of fluid
First you couldn’t touch anything of you die
Then it was sanitizer after touching or you die
Then it was if you go outside into town …change your clothes and shoes when you get home
Then it was oh no wear a mask oh no we too low
Then oh yeah wear gloves
Then it was ok we open soon
Ok maybe we open little bit
Then it was oh hey oops we lost control we close Memorial Day
Then it was ok we close the schools
Then it was hey no swimming
Then ok you swim but have a mask
Then hey we’re closing down 4th of July
Then the gav shut down every winery in several counties around the Bay Area and state
Then he said well mine in Napa can stay open
Then he said hey my winery is the only one open around here over the weekend so just saying and all in Napa we have wine for sale …here for you ….or a friend …in Napa ….the only winery open in Napa …again on the 4th wine open Napa …Gavin here wine Napa good weather wine mine Gavin
In Napa wine country but all closed accept mine in napa ….to buy
Then we got the notice of hey if you don’t I’m gonna get mad and impose a fine
Then it was hey join our protest
Oh yeah and if you want to pillage have at it
Then it was well we can’t pillage their arresting us
Then it was ok now worries we will get rid of the police
Ugh so anyways yeah they sure are sure of what their doing and what’s right for us
File this with the: Expired registrations, paper plates (with dealership logo), fully Tinted Windshields and holding cellphones while driving.
Police don’t enforce these, They won’t enforce a mask.
The tinted windshields are unsafe. Ugh!
California and New York are fertile grounds for that mental disorder to grow and spread not unlike this 99.8% survival rate virus
I am surprised after all we have endured so far, we still have so many people supporting this.
do people really believe they can catch this virus casually walking by someone that is not wearing a mask?
Do some serious research people and stop being so scared. Talk to your Dr.
.. we are all going to die someday most of us from cancer or heart disease
Stop the fear
People do believe that you can catch the virus just by walking by an infected person. It’s pretty unlikely that will happen. There are those that also believe that you can catch the virus outside when a runner or bicyclist who may be infected zooms past you. Those viruses are just wafting along on the breezes. They get all worked up when they see someone outdoors not wearing a mask, even when working alone in your front yard. SMH
this has devolved to an emotional issue…people are going to believe only the information that backs up their already existing beliefs and gives them self gratification…wear a mask or don’t wear a mask the real issue here is that these clowns wasted a whole lot of time and money legislating this farcell
I’ve heard there is a run on pitchforks and torches at the hardware stores. 😉
what do you know, they’re all sold out of pitchforks and torches, wink wink
Ok everyone. If you don’t like the mandate. Great that’s fine. But don’t hover around me and expect me to be business as usual Don’t have to help the person who wishes to make his statement known. Iam thinking of my health and my loved ones not yours Just so you can make your own statement. I get you have your own thoughts and want you own life fine. But why not just stay home and spread your own
Use your LOUD voice at election time. VOTE THEM OUT OF OFFICE.
Instead of fines, why don’t they figure out how to make it work for businesses, that’s what businesses need from them.
All good comrades agree with the ordinance and will be rewarded. Comrades, do your part and point out the infidels to our fellow comrades in local government. The infidels who mean to do you harm must be stopped.