Gonzales city council votes to restrict mass gatherings

Gonzales ISD’s Spring Break to be extended at least one week

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The Gonzales city of council voted unanimously in a special-called meeting on Monday to reinstate their Declaration of Public Health Emergency and expand on restrictions set in the original declaration shared on Sunday. The restrictions to be implemented include limiting mass gatherings to 50 people, as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Included in the mass gathering restriction are indoor and outdoor events and school. The declaration is set to expire April 9, the next regularly scheduled meeting, however, if there are new recommendations from the CDC, city council committed to gathering for a special-called meeting prior to April 9 to adjust the declaration.

Also included in the mass gathering restriction is Gonzales ISD. Students are currently out of school due to Spring Break. But with the declaration, Gonzales ISD will now be closed to students for another week. 

Gonzales Mayor Connie Kacir informed councilmembers that Gonzales ISD Superintendent John Schumacher has been having conference calls with the Texas Education Agency (TEA) and that he would support council’s decision to shut down the school for an additional week.

“[Gonzales ISD] would support our decision because the most important thing to them is the health and safety of those children,” Kacir said.

With the order, Gonzales ISD will be closed through at least March 27.

Kacir defined the talks amongst Gonzales ISD administration as week-to-week. If there are recommendations to open school again, council will meet in a special-called meeting to amend their declaration.

An exception to the 50-person rule has been placed for places of worship, with the caveat that they implement “social distancing,” meaning patrons would need to remain six feet away from each other.

As of this writing, an official document is being written with more information on the mass gathering restrictions. This story will be updated as new information is available.

“I feel we definitely did the right thing, acting in the best interest of the city.” Kacir told the Inquirer after the meeting. 

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