BOCA RATON, FL (BocaNewsNow.com) — Palm Beach County Mayor Dave Kerner didn’t mince words during a Friday afternoon COVID-19 update.
“There is a time to transition to compliance,” he said — adding that there’s been enough education about COVID-19 rules, now it’s time to enforce those rules.
According to Kerner, at least 52 written warnings have been issued to businesses in Palm Beach County that have violated COVID-19 executive orders. Kerner said 24 businesses have been ordered closed. Some, he said, may have been restaurants staying open past 11 p.m., others may be businesses that aren’t allowed to open at all under Phase One of Florida’s reopening plan.
Seven businesses have been declared health and safety emergencies and now face fines up to $15,000 a day.
Seven businesses have been declared health and safety emergencies and now face fines up to $15,000 a day. Those businesses are ordered to appear in front of a magistrate. One of them — a strip club — “was acting like COVID-19 didn’t exist,” said Kerner.
Kerner said he executed an executive order that now gives authorities throughout Palm Beach County the ability to enforce all state executive orders — as well as county executive orders — with civil and criminal penalties.
