Georgia governor's move?????

Atlanta mayor 'at a loss' over Georgia governor's move to reopen state economy

Certain businesses in the state could reopen as early as Friday.

By QUINT FORGEY

Atlanta Mayor Keisha Bottoms suggested Monday she was blindsided by Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp's announcement of plans to begin reopening the state before the end of the week, as other local leaders expressed similar frustration with the governor's move.

"I have a great working relationship with our governor, but I did not speak with him before he made this announcement," Bottoms told CNN.

Bottoms said she contacted Augusta, Georgia, Mayor Hardie Davis, who leads the state's second-largest city, and reported that he also had not conferred with Kemp about the latest directive. "I've spoken with several leaders across this state. So we really are at a loss, and I am concerned as a mother and as the mayor of our capital city," she said.

"I'm perplexed that we have opened up in this way. And again, I can't stress enough, I work very well with our governor, and I look forward to having a better understanding of what his reasoning is," Bottoms added. "But as I look at the data and as I talk with our public health officials, I don't see that it's based on anything that's logical."

The mayor's remarks came after Kemp said earlier Monday that certain businesses in Georgia shuttered by the coronavirus pandemic — including gyms, hair salons, bowling alleys and tattoo parlors — could reopen as early as Friday if owners adhere to stringent social-distancing and hygiene requirements. Next Monday, movie theaters may also reopen and restaurants will be allowed to return to limited dine-in service.

Athens-Clarke County, Georgia, Mayor Kelly Girtz said Tuesday those "high contact environments" are "exactly the kind of places that we need to have maintain closure for the moment," and told CNN he was urging his constituents not to follow the governor's advice for reopening.

"I'm exhorting everybody in this community to continue to shelter in place. Do not reopen at this point. It's not the time to do it," Girtz said. "It's like telling the quarterback, 'We don't have a helmet for you, we don't have pads, but get out there on the field and just try not to get sacked.'"

Georgia residents remain under a statewide stay-at-home order Kemp imposed earlier this month, which is set to end on April 30. Federal social-distancing guidance will also expire on that date, although President Donald Trump last week rolled out a series of recommendations for a phased reopening of parts of the country.

The administration's new guidelines call for states considering reopening to show a downward trajectory of coronavirus cases over a two-week period as well as institute a robust testing program for health care workers. Then, under phase one of the plan, restaurants, movie theaters, sporting venues, places of worship and gyms may reopen if they practice social-distancing measures.

In addition to Kemp's announcement Monday, South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster relaxed some coronavirus-related restrictions in the state, allowing businesses including bookstores, department stores, flea markets, florists and music shops to reopen.

Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee also said Monday his stay-at-home order would expire on April 30 and businesses across the majority of the state would begin reopening as early as next week.