Rochester City Council moves to give restaurants and pubs relief

Indoor and outdoor services.

Takeout and delivery are the only options for restaurants until mid?

"* december.

Kimt nes three's anthony monzon joins us live in downtown rochester with what's being discussed.

Anthony?

Xxx katie... george... council members voted unanmiously this afternoon to direct city staff to create a liquor license fee relief program for bars and restaurants.

At this moment specifics are light... but city leaders say they would like to have a program in place before the end of the year.

While the effort has broad support... its being led by council members nick campion and mark bilderback.

They acknowledge how much bars and restaurants have been impacted by the pandemic as well as the governor's lastest coronavirus restrictions... and would like to provide additional targeted relief for "as these businesses have to go deeper, we need to go deeper as well to try to support them because, again, everything that's happening to them is not any of their choice, but they're the ones who are really taking the brunt of it."

Now there was some initial discussion about how the program might work.

Some council members expressed support for delaying liquor license fees until next fall.

Others mentioned the city might be better served by granting financial support to workers who have been laid off.

But nearly all members expressed a desire to find new ways the city could support local businesses impacted by the pandemic outside of bars and restaurants.

Live in rochester... anthony thank you anthony.

On a state level ?

"* governor tim walz sas he plans to call a special legislative session to pass a relief package for small businesses.

He is expected to reveal