A push to create a Boulder County 5-Star Certification program that would loosen COVID-19 restrictions on qualified local businesses drew support Tuesday night from Longmont City Council members, who said the move could be the tonic for many ailing restaurants and other enterprises.
“I think it’s terrific,” Councilmember Polly Christensen said. “We have to do everything we can to get businesses back in the running.”
The county’s 5-Star proposal presented to council Tuesday also got the backing of Mayor Brian Bagley, who first voiced concerns the program would introduce more red tape for local businesses to untangle in order to get certification.
Jessica Erickson, president and CEO of the Longmont Economic Development Partnership, said a third-party vendor, Longmont-based H2 Manufacturing Solutions, would provide ongoing oversight of the program with inspectors and clear-cut action plans for businesses to receive certification.
“We’re trying to make it as easy as possible for businesses by providing them an action plan … to get where they need to be,” Erickson said.
“I’m cool with that,” Bagley answered.
Boulder County economic development agencies, chambers of commerce, the public health department and government authorities will present a joint application to the state to operate and administer the 5-Star Certification program, Erickson said. An administrative committee is scheduled to meet Thursday to begin the application process, she said.
The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment created the COVID-19 5 Star State Certification program on Dec. 14. It allows counties to develop a local certification program that lets businesses implement safety measures beyond those required by public health orders, according to a new release from the Boulder Chamber and the LEDP. After an independent inspection and confirmation of compliance, a business is allowed to operate at a less-restrictive capacity.
A business in Boulder County, which is currently at orange on the state’s COVID-19 dial dashboard, could operate at the less stringent yellow level, Erickson told city council.
The orange level allows restaurants at 25% capacity or 50 people for indoor dining, she said. If certified, restaurants can move to yellow status and operate at 50% capacity or up to 100, she said.
Gyms and fitness centers, which are restricted to 25% of capacity or 25 people maximum at orange status, could host 25 more people for a maximum of 50 at the yellow level, according to the state dial.
Mesa County was the first to be approved for a 5-Star exemption and the program has been running since the summer. Jefferson County has been approved for a 5-Star status, as has Broomfield, which dubbed its program Back to Business Certification. Denver has submitted an application to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.
Boulder County’s proposed program was drafted through a partnership between the Boulder Chamber and the LEDP, with support from the Boulder County Commissioner’s Office and Boulder County Public Health, according to the news release.
The application will go to CDPHE after final approval from Boulder County’s public health director, municipalities, hospitals and law enforcement agencies.
Erickson said she wants an application to be presented as soon as possible since the program would not be up and running until CDPHE grants approval.
The program also can be curtailed if COVID-19 numbers go up, Jeff Zayach, Boulder County Public Health executive director, stated in the news release.
“It’s important to remember that all three indicators on the state dial must indicate the county is eligible to move forward with the program before businesses would be permitted to operate the program,” Zayach stated. “And, of course, we will follow the state guidance if we need to pause the program due to increased transmission and cases.”
The three indicators used by the state in determining a county’s status on the COVID dial are the number of new cases, percent of COVID-19 positivity and the number of hospitalizations. “To move to a less restrictive level ... counties need to meet and sustain all three metrics for two weeks,” according to CDPHE.
To oversee the program, H2 Manufacturing Solutions would use a safety certification system developed by H2 and the Colorado COVID-19 Manufacturing Task Force, which first convened in March and included members from Boulder County Public Health and LEDP, according to the release.
H2’s safety system and certification program “is a proven and affordable model rooted in public health and science,” the release states.
Erickson told city council “H2 has been implementing the program throughout Colorado for the last six months across multiple industries.''
The proposed Boulder County program uses a “train the trainer” model and will seek about 75 volunteers to serve as trained auditors and administrators. Efforts are underway to identify government agencies and private businesses whose employees are underutilized because of COVID-19, or who are looking for opportunities to fulfill corporate social responsibility missions and are willing to repurpose staff as safety certification inspectors, according to the release.
H2 would provide ongoing oversight and auditing of inspectors, the release states.
Organizations interested in supporting the program with paid employees or volunteers can fill out a form here.
