The “brains” behind KC’s ridiculous 10-10-10 plan…
Would you believe, Kansas City mayor Quinton Lucas?
Not according to esteemed Westport businessman / coronavirus survivor Bill Nigro.
That distinction goes to Kansas City public health director Rex Archer, Nigro says.
“Rex Archer is a total germaphobe,” says Nigro, whohas owned or overseen any number of area restaurants and bars over the past three decades. “He’s been a thorn in the side of the restaurant and bar business for years.
“And that’s who Quinton Lucas is listening to – he’s said it several times – that he listens to the health department. And Archer thinks if Quinton opens things up now he’s going to kill dozens of people. But Rex Archer has never owned a business and he doesn’t realize what this is doing to local businesses.”
Unfortunately for local bar and restaurant owners, Archer’s behind the mayor’s controversial 10-10-10 plan to reopen local businesses.
A plan that initially limited customers to 10 percent of building occupancy or 10 people, whichever is larger (including staffers) and initially required them to record the names, contact information and times when the customers come in and out of the businesses for anyone who comes in for 10 minutes or more.
But after getting hammered last week in national news for his “Nazi-like” policy, Lucas cancelled the final 10, requiring churches and businesses to get people’s names and contact information.
Florida, by comparison announced a far more livable 25 plan, with indoor restaurant seating pegged at 25 percent occupancy.
Trouble is, there’s no way KC restaurants could have survived at 10 percent capacity, Nigro says.
Nigro says Archer is a dude so paranoid he has refused to shake Nigro’s hand from their first meeting 15 years ago.
Naturally, the Kansas City Star editorial board – which had applauded Lucas’s 10-10-10 plan – was bummed when Lucas dropped the third 10, after criticism by Fox News and others over the Big Brother aspect of requiring the collection of names and contact information of anyone there for more than 10 minutes.
Much to the chagrin of the both Star and Archer.
“As we ease the restrictions, if we don’t have the capacity to quickly put out that outbreak, that fire, then we’ll be back to Draconian measures,” Archer sniped.
(Want more Hearne? Go to kcconfidential.com)