Cox letter

September 14, 2020

VIA ONLINE FORM ONLY The Hon. Brian P. Kemp Governor of the State of Georgia Office of the Governor gov.georgia.gov Dear Governor Kemp: The University of Georgia and the Athens community need your help, specifically in compelling Mayor Kelly Girtz and the Athens—Clarke County Commission to enforce your Executive Orders relevant to mitigating the spread of COVID—19. Otherwise, I fear our State and University System will suffer greatly.

While the successful efforts of University System of Georgia Chancellor Steve Wrigley and UGA President Jere W. Morehead, CC’d below, to provide a safe on—campus experience are more than commendable, the recent COVID—19 data reveals a troubling contrast in student behavior seen in “packed sidewalk[s], dark bar[s], [and] off—campus part[ies].”1 2 This behavior, and consequent rise in positive cases among UGA students, is likely enabled or exacerbated by Mayor Girtz and the Commission’s ill—fated choice to not enforce your Executive Orders in their entirety.

Lack of enforcement in many downtown Athens bars is of particular concern. Despite your current Executive Order proscribing 39 provisions that bars must heed to operate during the pandemic, including “providing service only to seated patrons,” “redesigning seating arrangements to ensure at least six (6) feet of separation from … separate groups,” and “limiting party size at tables to no more than six (6) patrons,” Mayor Girtz and the Commission have only focused resources on one of these provisions: occupancy limits.3 4 The regrettable consequences of this enforcement decision have been captured

by The Red & Black, which detail little to no social distancing at many establishments.5 See https://news.uga.edu/usg-statement-on-uga-covid-numbers/ See https://www.npr.org/2020/08/19/903848387/move-in-move-out-for-in-person-collegeeverything-rests-on-the-first-few-weeks. Full Quote: “ultimately, it seems the success of [UGA’s] reopening plan will be decided on a packed sidewalk, dark bar, or off—campus party.”

3 See “Providing additional guidance for Empowering a Healthy Georgia in response to COVID-19” (8.31.2020) at https://gov.georgia.gov/executive-action/executive-orders/2020-executive-orders 4 See https://www.onlineathens.com/news/20200910/athens-clarke-police-check-bars-but-find-nocovid-occupancy-violations 5 See https://www.redandblack.com/athensnews/increase-in-athens-nightlife-brings-long-lines-littlesocial-distancing/article_0be84214-e80e-11ea-896d-531975d07f4e.html 1

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This nightly disregard of your Executive Orders in Athens has complicated the work of the UGA Interfraternity Council. Despite many pleas from University officials and myself, it is unfortunate to hear many chapter presidents and individual members contending, “If the bars do it, why can’t we do the same at the fraternity house or my apartment?” However, their logic is not misplaced. Private individuals and public businesses must all play by the same rules.

In short, this is yet another example of a local municipality failing to enforce your Executive Orders, which jeopardizes our State’s ongoing efforts to curb the pandemic.

To remedy such, I believe a tightening in the enforcement of your public health guidance relevant to bars is necessary to mitigate the spread of COVID—19 in the Athens community.6 Furthermore, with the bars serving as an index of appropriate behavior for many UGA students, a change in these establishments may spur a similar shift in student behavior elsewhere off—campus.

I look forward to any response you may provide and humbly offer my time and energy to be part of the solution to this pressing and timely issue.

Sincerely,

Brennan M. Cox President UGA Interfraternity Council CC:

The Hon. Houston Gaines Representative, District 117 Georgia House of Representatives houston.gaines@house.ga.gov Dr. Steve Wrigley Chancellor University System of Georgia chancellor@usg.edu Jere W. Morehead President University of Georgia president@uga.edu

For a more detailed discussion of this issue, see “The COVID Triad: Athens—Clarke County, the University of Georgia, and the Bars” at https://medium.com/@bcox.uga/the-covid-triad-athens-clarkecounty-the-university-of-georgia-and-the-bars-617d5cb605a3

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