New Montague County Judge Kevin Benton jumped into the fray a few days after taking the oath of office, to begin fielding phone calls Friday about how Governor Greg Abbott’s Friday executive order impacts the local area.
In that order Abbott closed all bars and similar establishments which receive more than 51 percent of their gross receipts from the sale of alcoholic beverages. However, these businesses may remain open for delivery and take-out, including alcoholic beverages.
Restaurants may remain open for dine-in service, but at 50 percent of indoor capacity beginning June 29 instead of the previous allowed 75 percent. And outdoor gatherings of 100 or more people must be approved by local governments with certain exceptions.
Benton issued a letter Monday outlining the limits within Montague County based on case count. He explained counties with a current attestation filed with and approved by the State Department of Health and Human Services regarding the minimal cases of COVID-19, will remain at the 75 percent occupancy rate.
“Montague County falls within that classification. In paragraph five of the order, any outdoor gathering in excess of 100 people, other than those set forth in paragraphs one, two or four (a lengthy set of activities covered by the executive order) must be authorized by the mayor if within the incorporated city limits or the county judge if the activity is proposed in the unincorporated area of the county,” stated Benton.

Read the full letter below and more coverage in the mid-week Bowie News.

Paragraph 1 from Gov. Greg Abbott’s most recent executive order:

1. There is no occupancy limit for the following:
a. any services listed by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) in its Guidance on the Essential Critical Infrastructure Workforce, Version 3.1 or any subsequent version;
b. religious services, including those conducted in churches, congregations, and houses of worship;
c. local government operations, including county and municipal governmental operations relating to licensing (including marriage licenses), permitting, recordation, and document-filing services, as determined by the local government;
d. child-care services;
e. youth camps, including but not limited to those defined as such under Chapter 141 of the Texas Health and Safety Code, and including all summer camps and other daytime and overnight camps for youths; and
f. recreational sports programs for youths and adults;