Montgomery County leader chafes at Abbott virus plan
As Gov. Greg Abbott moves to gradually reopen a Texas economy that was virtually shut down because of the coronavirus crisis, some public officials in deep-red Montgomery County think he’s not moving fast enough.
County Judge Mark Keough called the governor’s phased reopening plan vague and said it didn’t mandate that businesses such as hair and nail salons, bars and gyms remain closed.
Abbott acknowledged in an interview later Tuesday that his order needed clarification.
“I actually went back and looked at the order and I can understand why he’s saying that it needs clarification. And so we will provide that clarification,” Abbott told Fox 26.
Keough said he appreciated the governor’s attention in the matter but said he is standing by his view that the order only says such businesses “shall” be avoided, which, he said, does not mean the businesses can’t open. He added that if and when Abbott clarifies the order in writing, he will abide by its guidelines.
The pushback from a fellow Republican reflects the pressure that Abbott faces from businesses and conservative leaders to allow businesses to reopen even as elected officials in major cities and some experts warn of not moving too hastily and risking a resurgence of COVID-19 cases.
Under Abbott’s order, retail businesses, restaurants, movie theaters and malls will be allowed to reopen at 25 percent capacity, as will museums and libraries. Bars, barber shops, gyms and hair salons will remain closed, likely until mid-May, Abbott said. Masks to contain the virus will be encouraged but not mandated.
Speaking at the commissioners court’s regular meeting Tuesday, Keough said the county has done all it can to follow guidelines from Abbott. However, he said the opening of some businesses over others “doesn’t make sense.” After reading Abbott’s order, Keough said it does not close or keep closed any businesses.
“He doesn’t close those,” Keough said of businesses such as hair salons, barbershops, gyms and nail salons. “It says you should avoid these businesses. It is uncommonly vague what he has said and there is a measure of confusion. I am not trying to push against the governor, I am just trying to free the people who have been chosen to be the losers.
“The object here is not to go rogue on the state of Texas or the governor. The object is we have until Friday to get clarification on this. As far as we are concerned, he has not declared these (businesses) closed.”
Montgomery and other Houston-area counties imposed stay-at-home orders last month to slow the spread of the new coronavirus. Abbott’s order now supersedes the local orders.
Precinct 3 Commissioner James Noack said the goal of the stay-at-home order put in place by the county last month was to flatten the curve of the coronavirus, not flatten the economy.
As of Monday, Montgomery County health officials have confirmed 562 cases and 12 deaths. Those numbers, Noack said, are trending below what was predicted.
“I think the people in Montgomery County want to get back to work,” Noack said.
Commissioner Mike Meador said small businesseshave struggled to survive.
“They are having to pay rent,” Meador said. “To me, a small business such as a hair salon or nail place has the ability to clean two or three times a day and I think they will. They can determine who comes in their shop and who doesn’t. It’s got to be a whole lot cleaner than Kroger.”
Keough noted that Abbott’s plan takes weeks to phase in how many customers are allowed in retail businesss.
County Attorney B.D. Griffin agrees the governor’s order is unclear and said the court should be cautious of enforcing a vague order.
In a separate matter, Conroe ISD Superintendent Curtis Null said in a Facebook Live address this week that graduation plans for next month are still on, tentatively. New reopening plans from Abbott do not directly rule them out.