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Gym, fitness center owners urged to make appointments for state-mandated inspections

By Mike Pettinella

As permitted by the governor’s office, many gyms and fitness centers in Genesee County reopened on Monday, but there remains a great deal of confusion as to what the owners of these facilities need to do to keep their doors open.

That’s the word from County Manager Matt Landers, who addressed the legislature this afternoon at its monthly meeting at the Old County Courthouse.

Landers said the county health department reached out to about 25 businesses and “less than half of them understood the process going forward.”

“And that’s only a snapshot of what’s out there,” he added.

According to state guidelines, these varied facilities (gyms and fitness centers, yoga and Pilates studies, boxing centers, boot camps, and dance and martial arts studios, etc.) are subject to a county health inspection within two weeks of their opening to ensure proper protocols are in place and adhere to State guidelines to protect customers and staff.

“A lot of these facilities are opening and didn’t have follow-up guidelines or make appointments with the health department,” Landers said. “It seems that they were excited and opened without reading the second part of the information that came out.”

Landers said the county health department is currently performing these inspections, but city, town and village code enforcement officers may be called upon to assist.

“You don’t have to be a nurse … to certify that the HVAC system and safety plan is in place,” he said

He also mentioned the possibility of the Genesee County Chamber of Commerce setting up a Zoom information session for owners of these types of businesses.

Reopening requirements include:

  • Developing a business safety plan;
  • Having a heating, ventilation and air condition inspection by an approved professional;
  • Completing an affirmation that the state guidelines are understood and will be implemented.

Once the business safety plan and air handling inspection are complete and an attestation form is submitted, Genesee and Orleans Counties will begin the process of scheduling inspections. These steps must be completed prior to scheduling an inspection. For Genesee County call (585) 344-2580, ext. 5555, and for Orleans County call (585) 589-3278.

In other developments, legislators:

-- Accepted $258,726 in funding from the state Department of Health to be used by the Genesee County Public Health Department for COVID-19 contact tracing, overtime and supplies, with expenses over that amount to be partially offset by state aid.

-- Re-appointed Kathryn Ribbeck and Janet Olivieri to the GLOW Workforce Development Board through 2022. Ribbeck is the human resources manager at O-AT-KA Milk Products Cooperative, Inc., Batavia, and Olivieri is human resources manager at Lapp Insulators LLC, Le Roy.

-- Approved a contract with Empire Access to provide an independent internet circuit for the Board of Elections’ two locations at County Building II on West Main Street Road. The contract will run for 36 months at a cost of $285 per month.

-- Created a full-time position of epidemiologist or community health nurse, effective Aug. 31, 2020, with the salary and fringe benefits allocated for in the 2020 health department budget. The position is fully covered by COVID-19 funding until June 30, 2022.

-- Accepted a $250 donation from Linda Keister in memory of Batavian Kathy Owen to go toward an environmental program for Genesee County youth at Genesee County Park and Forest Interpretive Nature Center in Bethany.

Local gyms, physical activity classes allowed to reopen Monday

By Press Release

Press release:

Commercial fitness-related facilities, gyms and indoor physical-activity-related classes in Genesee and Orleans counties will be allowed to reopen on Monday, Aug. 24th, announced Legislative chairs Rochelle Stein for Genesee, and Lynne Johnson for Orleans, today.

The guidelines apply to fitness activities and facilities -- including but not limited to standalone/hotel/residential/office/higher education institutions gyms and fitness centers, yoga/Pilates/barre studios, boxing/kickboxing gyms, fitness boot camps, CrossFit or other plyometric boxes, other fitness classes, dance studios, martial arts studios, spin, rowing, etc., -- will be allowed to reopen if they have completed the state requirements as noted below.

Each facility will be subject to a county health inspection within two weeks of their opening to ensure proper protocols are in place and adhere to State guidelines to protect customers and staff.

Although we are proceeding with limited guidance from the state, the Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments will begin inspections next week for fitness-related facilities and gyms as listed above that have completed the required documentation,” stated Paul Pettit, Public Health Director for Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments.

Prior to reopening and inspection, gym owners and managers will have to adhere to the NYS guidelines which can be found on the NY Forward websiteand completing the following steps:  

1.   Develop a business safety plan.

2.   Have an HVAC inspection by an approved professional.

3.   Complete the affirmation for each facility location that they have reviewed and understand the New York State guidelines and will implement these protocols. Click this link for the affirmation statement and choose gyms and fitness centers.  

Once the business safety plan and air handling inspection are complete and an attestation form is submitted, Genesee and Orleans Counties will begin the process of scheduling inspections. These steps must be completed prior to scheduling an inspection. For Genesee County call (585) 344-2580, ext. 5555, and for Orleans County call (585) 589-3278.

“With our infection rate holding steady at or below 1 percent, we are confident we can reopen gyms and fitness facilities in a way that is both safe and responsible,” Stein said.

“Our counties are pro-business counties and we will support any business trying to open as best as we can," Johnson said. "I want to remind our residents and gym/fitness related owners that we are still in the midst of a pandemic. The tides may shift in this battle at any minute and we must do everything we can to prevent a second wave. So be smart, wear a mask, and follow all safety protocols."

Gym owners should monitor the New York Forward website to answer questions or learn of the latest updates.

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