Coronavirus: Dayton city manager responds to public health investigation of finance dept.

DAYTON — Dayton’s city manager on Thursday night responded to the city’s finance department being one of the 216 area businesses under investigation by the health department over whether the city is in compliance with the state’s essential business mandate in response to the coronavirus pandemic.

City Manager Shelley Dickstein said Public Health - Dayton & Montgomery County this week made the city aware of a complaint regarding its finance department that alleges the city had not implemented the necessary precautionary measures to counter a potential outbreak in the workplace.

Thursday afternoon, health Commissioner Jeff Cooper said the list does not infer non-compliance on the part of the businesses. Cooper said his inspection team will have to review the paperwork for each of the 216 business before deciding whether any listed business is essential or non-essential.

The health department issued immediate cease operations orders to 12 businesses in the Dayton-Montgomery County area Friday afternoon:

• CR Butts, 607 Taywood Rd. Englewood, Ohio 45322
• Bell Comics, 458 Patterson Rd Dayton, Ohio 45419
• GameStop, 3878 Linden Ave Dayton, Ohio 45432
• GameStop, 1605 W. Dorothy Lane Kettering, Ohio 45439
• Outcasts Motorcycle Club, 417 Hunter Drive Dayton, Ohio 45405
• Petco Dog Grooming, 1150 S. Main Street Englewood, Ohio 45322
• Vapor Trails, 854 Union Blvd Clayton, Ohio 45315
• Exotic Fantasies,5th Street Dayton, Ohio
• Adult XXX Toys, 5th Street Dayton
• Monkey Smoke Shop, 328 N Dixie Drive Vandalia, Ohio 45377
• Zero 1 Vape, Kettering
• Vapor Trails, 854 Union Blvd Clayton, Ohio 45315

All 216 are listed on the health department’s website.

Dickstein, in her prepared statement, said, "Our focus from the start, has been to ensure the safety and health of our entire workforce and to do our part in limiting the spread of the disease. We have put in place heightened cleaning and precautionary measures as well as provided information from the Centers of Disease Control and Public Health on how to avoid getting sick.”

Before city offices were closed, city workers who deal with the public were given gloves, masks and other cleaning supplies, she said. Cleaning routines were established for communal spaces along with signage of proper hygiene protocols placed throughout the department.

To ensure compliance with social distancing guidelines, Dickstein said, work-spaces were relocated throughout City Hall to ensure workers remained at least six feet apart. Since the “stay-at-home order” was put in place, several employees are working remotely.

Public Health discussed the allegations with the city’s Fire Safety Officer and determined that no further action was needed, she said.

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