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Stillwater Issues Tighter Restrictions On Bars, Clubs

Screenshot
Stillwater City Council members during a meeting on August 17, 2020.

The City of Stillwater is enacting tighter restrictions on bars and clubs.

Stillwater Mayor Will Joyce signed a proclamation on Tuesday declaring a state of emergency due to COVID-19. The proclamation requires bars, nightclubs, dancehalls and restaurant bar service areas to implement the following guidelines:

  • reducing capacity to 50 percent
  • closing dance floors and other standing areas
  • placing tables and chairs six feet away from other groups of bar patrons
  • allowing bar patrons to only consume food or drink while seated at a table
  • not allowing bar patrons to stand next to occupied tables
  • requiring bar patrons to wear face coverings at all times, except while eating or drinking
  • requiring bar employees to face coverings at all times, including musicians and DJs

More restrictions can be found in the ordinance. They took effect on August 19 and will remain so through November 30.

Joyce said the ordinance is aimed at keeping the spread of COVID-19 in the community manageable, so that K-12 schools and Oklahoma State University can stay open for in-person instruction.

"There's nothing more important to the city of Stillwater than the health and safety of our residents. There's nothing, I think, more important to the city of Stillwater's economic overall health than having students here and on campus and attending classes," Joyce said during https://youtu.be/P1GdIzD8EmA" target="_blank">Monday's city council meeting.

The Stillwater City Council discussed the new restrictions during Monday's meeting, following a weekend of several incidents with bars and clubs crowded with people, many of whom ignored city ordinances.

Ryan LaCroix is the Director of Content and Audience Development for KOSU.
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