Businesses, towns say they may defy Gov. Lamont’s closure orders

Some businesses have chosen to defy Gov. Ned Lamont's orders to wait until June to reopen.

News 12 Staff

May 19, 2020, 9:12 PM

Updated 1,800 days ago

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Some businesses have chosen to defy Gov. Ned Lamont's orders to wait until June to reopen.
Crossfit KMK in Fairfield is planning to reopen on Thursday, a full month before the state says it can.
"What we're planning on doing is having the gym available to our members in an 'open gym' format," says Jamie Defelice, the owner of Crossfit KMK.
He says gym members will choose the time of day they want to come at, and the gym is limiting each time slot to seven people.
Some hair stylists at a protest Tuesday also say they may defy the governor's orders, too.
"Don't open before June 1. Those are the rules," Lamont said Monday.
A new executive order relies on towns to shut down businesses that don't comply. But in Cromwell, the mayor says he wants to stop enforcing Lamont's rules.
"In the end, it would be the town choosing to go on its own and allowing some of these businesses to open," says Mayor Enzo Faienza.
Lamont conceded during his Tuesday press conference that there is little he can do to force towns to comply, outside of a “friendly visit” from state consumer and health authorities.
"I'm not interested in going out there with state troopers," Lamont says. "I really urge each and every one of you, the mayors, to encourage each and every one of your businesses to do the right thing."
Defelice says he knows he's taking a risk with his gym.
"I wouldn't be surprised at all if they sent PD over," he says. "I'm a first responder, so I understand they have a job to do."
Cromwell officials voted unanimously to send a declaration to Lamont, saying that businesses who want to reopen will be allowed to.
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