Eureka restaurants are getting a boost from city government and the Eureka Fire Protection District during the COVID-19 pandemic.
With restaurants restricted to offering carry-out and delivery services only, Eureka Fire Chief Greg Brown came up with the idea for his department and other public entities to order lunch from local businesses each day.
Along with the fire district, employees at the Eureka Police Department, at City Hall and in the city’s Public Works and Parks and Recreation departments have been ordering lunch from local restaurants for more than two weeks, said Scott Barthelmass, Eureka Fire public information officer.
Mayor Sean Flower said the city is picking up the tab for one meal a day for city employees, including Police Department staffers. He said the fire district has been paying for its own meals.
By Monday, the city’s tab tallied to about $3,600.
Flower said the expenditure helps local restaurants and gives the city sales tax revenue.
“It’s kind of like investing in yourself in a way,” he said.
He said the main goal is to keep local restaurant doors open.
“We are just trying to keep them in business,” Flower said.
Barthelmass said the fire district is paying for one meal a day and the firefighters union is paying for another. Each order is for about 15 meals.
“Chief Brown thought the community always steps up for us, it was our chance to try to help some of the restaurants out,” Barthelmass said.
He said the district has been trying to keep the cost of meals to less than $10 per person.
Crews have enjoyed meals from Joe Boccardi’s, Michelle’s Cafe, O’Dell’s Irish Pub, Super Smokers, Poor Richard’s, Imo’s Pizza, Culver’s, Sarah’s on Central, Hola, Lions Choice and more, he said.
“I think there are 29 restaurants in town,” Barthelmass said. “We are trying to hit all of them.”
Jeff Fitter, who owns Super Smokers, said he had filled orders from the fire district twice, the Police Department twice and Public Works about three times.
“The biggest thing that it has helped with is cash flow,” he said.
Fitter said like many business owners he has had to cut staff hours. But he said he had not had to lay off any staff yet.
Fitter has hosted many fundraisers for BackStoppers and the fire and police departments in the past.
“I never expected that things that I have done would come full circle,” he said.
Julie Wood, Eureka City clerk and director of economic development, said each city department has made sure to order from a different place each day.
“Spreading the love, if you will,” she said.
She said this helps Eureka businesses and helps keep staff safe.
“It allows us to keep our staffers in the building,” she said. “I think it boosts morale a bit.”
Sometimes meals for the various agencies are delivered, while sometimes they are picked up curbside, depending on the agency and the restaurant.
Police Chief Michael Wiegand said the department has gotten meals from Joe Boccardi’s, Michelle’s Cafe, O’Dell’s Irish Pub, Super Smokers, Poor Richard’s and more. He said officers normally bring their own meals or pick up food from a restaurant during their shift.
Wiegand said officers have been making sure to keep 6 feet apart while eating. “We have a lot of great restaurants,” he said. “We are trying to support each and every one during this time.”