City Council Attacked for Lack of Leadership

CATHEDRAL CITY – Some residents of this coronavirus-stricken community have verbally shredded members of the City Council and a popular health and fitness club for not doing enough to protect the public during the coronavirus pandemic.

Cathedral City, the second largest-community in Coachella Valley, has added 66 COVID-19 cases since Friday.

“The lack of leadership is deafening,” Bill Holzhauer, a resident, said.

The attacks were posted on Facebook.

Pictures of a patron working on a treadmill, taken at Anytime Fitness, 67555 E Palm Canyon Drive, were posted on Facebook. Gym leadership has since covered all the windows in brown opaque paper.

“The Polly Anna (sic) approach to governorship by the entire council is a list of nothingness,” Bill Holzhauer said in his post.  “This council has complished (sic) what? That’s a serious question. During this panademic (sic) they have been absent.”

Holzhauer said the City Council is not taking state orders seriously.

On July 13, Gov. Gavin Newsom issued a sweeping set of closures to head off surging coronavirus cases and hospitalizations. He banned bars and inside restaurant dining throughout California, and ordered indoor religious services, gyms and hair and nail salons again off-limits in most of the state, Gov.

The order was part of the state’s strategy to control the spread of the virus by focusing on limiting indoor activities to reflect public health officials’ evolving understanding of how the virus spreads.

Holzhauer said there has been no enforcement of the rules for businesses that have never shuttered and those who have a blatant disregard for public safety.

“This council is, at best, a group of ribbon cutting, event going DO NOTHINGS,” Holzhauer writes, “… You see we are really tired of waiting for leadership. Time to put down the special scissors, that meatball toothpick, pancake breakfast plate and roll your sleeves up and get to work.”

Holzhauer said when he has complained, he has been told the city lacks resources.

“What they do have is Councilmembers who could stand in front of these businesses and hold press conferences about the lack of compliance to public safety,” Holzhauer said.

Yasmin Espinoza, also a resident, said, “The pandemic has proven that masks are not enforced enough, gyms are still open, nail shops for (sic) still open and we would point it out on Facebook so we knew our city wasn’t responding timely.”

You can read all the comments in their entirety on the Uken Report Facebook page by clicking here.
You will find them in the post about Rita Lamb  earning the endorsement of her colleagues.

With city businesses dealing with this new pandemic and the various orders that come from state, county and city governments at various times, it has been the city’s approach to contact each company in possible violation of the orders to inform them and seek their voluntary compliance, Christopher Parman, communications manager told Uken Report.

Since March, the city’s Economic Development Department has fielded more than 100 calls to businesses based on complaints.

“In the vast majority of the calls to businesses, they have (voluntarily) complied once they were made aware of the violation of the orders,” Parman said. “We have not had to issue any citations thus far.”

However, if a business would continue to violate an order that jeopardized the health and safety of our residents, then we would issue fines ($100 for first violation, $200 for second violation, and $500 for any consecutive violation).  If a business continues to operate out of compliance after three or more citations, then the city can use its authority to revoke any permit or license issued by the City.  We also have the option of notifying state and county permitting agencies that have oversight of those businesses as well, Parman said.

“With regards to Anytime Fitness, the city has contacted the manager and they stated that they will comply with all orders,” Parman said.  “We will continue to monitor that situation.”

Parman responded to the question at 12:08 p.m. At 1:10 p.m. two patrons were observed leaving the health and fitness club.