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UPDATE (April 1, 1:13 p.m.): Cumming Mayor Troy Brumbalow clarified what actions the city is taking to enforce social distancing.
City of Cumming leaders announced a new order requiring most residents to stay six feet away from each other and will swear-in "special policemen" to help with enforcement.
On Tuesday, Mayor Troy Brumbalow and Cumming Police Chief David Marsh signed an emergency management order to enforce social distancing in the city during the COVID-19 pandemic. The order will go into effect at midnight on Wednesday, April 1.
“The ultimate goal is of course to stop the spread of this virus," Brumbalow said in a statement. "My goal is to stop the spread of this at the roots, which is person-to-person contact. While some municipalities are issuing shelter-in-place orders, these orders still allow for essential businesses to operate, which still allows for the spread of COVID-19 if people are not practicing proper social distancing measures.
“For example, individuals can just as easily spread the virus by going to the grocery store or pharmacy as they can by having social gatherings if they are not properly spaced from other shoppers and taking appropriate actions such as frequent hand-washing.”
The order states that “no two people who are not related by blood or marriage shall come in contact nor within six feet of each other,” which means spouses, parents, children, siblings, grandparents, great grandparents and step- and foster family members will be allowed to be nearer to each other.
Exemptions will be made for hospitals, nursing homes, assisted living facilities, personal care homes, employees at businesses, employees who are being paid by customers, first responders, government officials and employees conducting city business, medical and dental professionals, childcare establishments, correctional institutions, attorneys and their clients in essential hearings and delivery people.
Cumming Police will be enforcing the orders, and the city will appoint some residents as “special policemen” to help with enforcement penalties include a fine of up to $1,000 and up to 180 days in jail.
“I will be swearing in up to 150 ‘special policemen’ who will be authorized to issue citations for anyone found to be in violation of this order,” Brumbalow said. “These individuals will be in plain clothes and could be at any public location at any time. What I want people to be aware of is that they should always be thinking about social distancing, whether they are buying groceries, picking up a prescription, or even taking a walk in their neighborhood.”
Earlier on Tuesday, Marsh and Brumbalow signed an order, which will also go into effect on Wednesday, to suspend dine-in and patio service for all "restaurants, delis, bars and all other eating establishments."
In addition, the order also allows establishments with a pouring license within the city limits to sell up to six "new, unopened" malt beverages and two bottles of wine with a food order of equal or greater value than the alcohol order. Alcohol-only sales are prohibited.
Correction: An earlier version of this article incorrectly said the city of Cumming will swear in 150 "special policemen." The city will swear in "up to" 150.
