Since March 2020, the City of Brentwood has been operating its Historic Homes in compliance with the Executive Orders issued by Tennessee Governor Bill Lee in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The State's orders began with the State of Emergency declared on March 12 by Executive Order, No. 14, and a series of progressively restrictive Executive Orders followed in an attempt to contain the spread of the COVID-19 virus. The City of Brentwood declared a State of Emergency on March 20 and operated under such until April 24, when the Governor issued Executive Order No. 29 that partially reopened dine-in restaurants. During Brentwood's State of Emergency, City staff worked with historic home clients to either cancel or postpone events at the client's choice. For those that the City canceled, full refunds were provided.
Executive Order No. 30, issued April 28, further relaxed some previous restrictions but prohibited gatherings of ten (10) or more persons and strongly encouraged the postponement of weddings and similar celebrations, or attendance by only close family members. By effect of that order, Brentwood continued to prohibit events of ten (10) or more persons at the historic homes through the end of May. Clients that could not reduce their guest count to ten were offered full refunds or the ability to reschedule. Up until May 2020, the modifications to the City's policies regarding events at the historic homes due to COVID-19 were a function of the City Manager's authority while under a formal State of Emergency. Once the City's State of Emergency expired, the City Commission, by Resolution 2020-45, authorized continuance of the temporary policy changes in accordance with the Governor's Executive Order regarding larger social gatherings.
On December 20, 2020, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee issued Executive Order No. 70 which declared a 10-person public gathering restriction for the state in effect through January19, 2021. The Executive Order was issued to help reduce the spread of COVID-19 and preserve health care capacity. There is only one scheduled event at the historic homes during this time for which the event attendance is seven persons. On December 22, 2020, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee issued Executive Order No. 73 to be in effect through February 27, 2021. Although Executive Order No. 73 does address gathering sizes to a specific number of people, the Order does state that social distancing remains imperative and that all gatherings should continue to social distance to the greatest extent possible.
To ensure appropriate social distancing measures can be put in place, the City Manager (pursuant to the delegated authority provided in Resolution 2020-45) previously approved that clients at both Brentwood Historic Homes could continue with events only at a maximum of half capacity, as long as strict social distancing measures are in place. For Ravenswood Mansion, half capacity is 150 people and for the Cool Springs House, half capacity is 125 people. Resolution 2020-45 authorized such modifications through December 31, 2020.
Due to the evolving nature of the pandemic, staff requests that the City Manager be authorized to further extend these modifications as necessary in response to COVID-19 through July 31, 2021, unless the COVID situation lessens and social distancing guidelines and gathering size limitations are completely eliminated prior to that date.
The policy modifications are outlined below, and they will constitute a temporary change to the Ravenswood Mansion and Cool Springs House Operating Policies and Procedures. City staff will ensure any necessary addenda to client contracts are executed accordingly.
The proposed modifications are as follows:
Clients currently booked through July 31, 2021: Clients will be allowed a temporary reschedule addendum, where IF a client feels that they cannot have their event due to COVID-19 that they may reschedule their date(s) under the following guidelines:
- The new event date(s) must be within 18 months of the event date scheduled by the original contract
- Client requests will be subject to venue availability
- If a client chooses a new date that is of less value than their original date the client will be refunded the difference
- If a client chooses a date that is of greater value than the original date the client must pay the difference
Additional provisions for clients currently booked through July 31, 2021:
- Those at Ravenswood Mansion who cannot reduce their guest count to 150 persons or fewer, and those at the Cool Springs House who cannot reduce their guest count to 125 persons or fewer may choose from the following options:
- Reschedule under the terms provided above
- Receive a full refund of payments made
- If the facility is available for use, but a client feels that they cannot have their event due to COVID-19, they may choose from the following options:
- Reschedule under the terms provided above
- Receive a partial refund of 75% of payments made
Please contact the Community Relations Director or Assistant City Manager with any questions. |