Restaurants and food establishments whose health department permits expire before February 28, 2021, have an extra six months to pay for and renew operating permits under a new amendment to Whatcom County code.
The county council approved the amendment at a May 5 council meeting, aiming to give those businesses relief during a time in which most food businesses are either closed or operating in a limited way because of the coronavirus and stay-at-home order.
The proposed ordinance had an option to extend permit expiration dates by either three months or six months, and the council unanimously voted to extend it by six months.
The ordinance will reduce county revenue by $327,000 in 2020, according to meeting documents. Tom Kunesh, health department environmental health supervisor, told the council at the May 5 meeting that delaying permits would also delay inspections.
The health department is currently conducting in-field inspections only for new food businesses that want to open and for organizations that donate food, Kunesh said. Most health department food safety inspection staff is currently busy with coronavirus-related work, he said.
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