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(WWJ) Macomb County Executive Mark Hackel wants the OK to reopen gyms, movies theaters, bowling alleys and other businesses still closed due to COVID-19.
Hackel says he has reached out to Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's team numerous times and believes that since control of school openings was give to local administrators, the same should be granted county health departments when it comes to reopening businesses.
"The disappointment is I don't understand why we're not allowing some of them to open, because, believe it or not, many of them are opening anyways," Hackel told WWJ's Jon Hewett. "Maybe not the corporate ones, the national chains or whatever, but many of these smaller, if you will, businesses are opening up."
Such businesses have been shut down in metro Detroit under Whitmer's executive orders for over six months now. Only parts of Northern Michigan, including the U.P. and the Traverse City area, have been moved on to Phase 5 of Whitmer's MiSafeStart economic recovery plan, in which more businesses are allowed to operate.
Hackel made clear he will not take action against Macomb County businesses that reopen in defiance of Whitmer.
On the contrary, Hackel said: "Whether it's a roller rink, an ice area, even some of the gyms...we're engaging with them."
"When people say, 'Well what about the enforcement aspect of that?' You know, I guess that is something we will turn over to the state and say, yeah they're open. There is no problem, we're not seeing an issue, we will work with them if there is," he said. "But in the meantime, there's no question we can manage."
When Whitmer allowed Detroit's casinos to reopen at 15% capacity last month, many expected to hear gyms and theaters were next.
But Hackel said the science shows it's time — at least in Macomb County.
"There are very few people, if any, on ventilators in the hospitals in and around this area. The number of deaths, at an all-time high 600 in April (is down) to now 16 in July," he said.
"I mean, the curve has been flattened, and people will continue to follow those (social distancing) guidelines. Sure, you're gonna have a few that don't, and that kinda wanna get outside of that, but we can manage that."
Hackel made the comments Friday, following a ribbon-cutting ceremony for a CARE of Southeastern Michigan substance abuse treatment center in Fraser.
Later in the day, sources told WWJ that the governor is expected to make an announcement on gyms next week.