But $500j)enalty is tough
Food-handling rules
now easier to swallow
By Terry Pope
County Editor
Revised rules that might govern
how restaurants and licensed day
care centers serve food appear less
difficult to swallow.
Fewer people made fewer com
ments at a second public hearing
held last Wednesday on the Bruns
wick County Board of Health’s pro
posed food service manager certifi
cation ordinance.
The program stresses proper food
handling techniques and hygiene
with a goal to protect consumers.
Some say the $500 fine for violat
ing the policy is still too high.
Other more controversial parts of
the ordinance were cither cut or
revised by a committee of restaurant
owners and health staff since the
first hearing was held in January.
"You can get a drunk driving
charge and not get fined $500," said
Robin Schuster, owner of The
Robin’s Nest, a Southport day care
center.
The fine should be closer to $50
since it is a new policy, she said.
The health board should also consid
er the cost to businesses after the
first 12 months, she added.
There will be no fee for the six
hour training program for the first
year, said Andrew Robinson, en
vironmental health supervisor.
Classes may be held monthly and in
two-day sessions. After that, the
county will not foot the bill, and it
will cost employers around $35 per
person.
The program will help health offi
cials improve communications with
restaurant owners, said Robinson.
Food service technology is changing
and national reports of food poison
ing incidents arc increasing.
"I know it will improve our food
service industry," he added.
Someone at each restaurant must
become certified and the certificate
posted at all times. Persons must
pass a standardized test consisting of
50 to 60 questions, said Gary
McDonald, environmental health
specialist.
The certificate can be revoked if
the ordinance is violated or if the
sanitation grade falls below 80, a
"C", in two out of three consecutive
grading periods. That could shut
down a business.
"It’s not just one time that your
certificate will be pulled and your
doors closed," said Mildred
Crissman, owner of Mimi’s Cafe in
Southport. She worked with a group
of five other restaurant owners to
help revise the ordinance.
The stiff penalty was added as an
incentive for restaurant owners to
adhere to the policy. Some owners
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‘You don’t get a $500 penalty if you are
caught driving drunk in the middle of
Wilmington. It seems to be very excessive
and unnecessary, except to say if you’re
bad we’re going to get you.’
Bob Williams
Sandpiper Restaurant
would rather pay a $50 fine and con
tinue operating in unsanitary condi
tions, Ms. Crissman said.
"There are many food poisoning
incidents that never go to the news,"
she said.
The fine and certification program
is separate from the restaurant grad
ing system, which is regulated under
state laws, said Michael Rhodes,
health director.
"We want to have some type ol
penally to enforce it," said Rhodes.
"Maybe it’s too high."
The original version required that
a certified manager be on duty at all
times. It now just requires that
someone at the facility hold a certif
icate. That manager can use training
materials to teach other employees.
Bob Williams, owner of the Sand
piper Restaurant in Leland, said few
counties in the state have such an or
dinance.
"I still feel this is somewhat un
necessary, to go to this length to for
malize it to this extent," said Wil
liams.
It creates an "us against them
situation" and more expense for
restaurant owners, he added. He also
objected to the $500 fine.
"You don’t get a $500 penalty if
you arc caught driving drunk in the
middle of Wilmington," said Wil
liams. "It seems to be very excessive
and unnecessary, except to say if
you’re bad we’re going to get you."
The penalty section was reviewed
by the interim county attorney. A
business would have two grading
periods, or nine months, to have
someone certified and to improve
the sanitation grade before the cer
tificate is pulled and the doors
dosed, said Robinson.
"What are you going to do with
the $500?" asked Junior Hughes,
owner of Hughes Marina and
Restaurant at Shallotie Point.
The money will be used to help
fund the training program.
Committee members will review
the comments, revise the ordinance
a final time and send it to the health
board for adoption.
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An extraordinary sand sculpture, appropriately
dubbed "Shellfish", was created in front of the
Woodgeard cottage on Caswell Beach last week.
Devised by John McNaughton, a designer, sculptor
Photo by Jim Harper
and art professor, the project relied on the labor of
many helpers and became an inspiration for other
neighborhood beach sculptures, including a sea
turtle and a sea horse.