PORTLAND, Maine — Big Tree Hospitality created a petition asking the Portland City Council to enact a vaccine mandate for specific indoor spaces, including restaurants.
The restaurant group, behind Hugo's, Eventide Oyster Co., and The Honey Paw, is made up of Andrew Taylor and Arlin Smith.
They created the petition after bartender Kate Klibansky brought the issue to their attention.
We asked the owners for comment. They declined and had us talk to Kilbansky.
"I was feeling really concerned about COVID numbers and thinking about coming to work before seeing family. By creating that united front, you have not someone to blame, but someone to take responsibility for public health," Klibansky said.
As of Wednesday afternoon, 11 establishments had signed on. Klibansky said the plan is to bring it to the city council next week, so restaurants don't have to decide for themselves.
"You're putting them in a really difficult position to either be faced with backlash from guests or lose business," Klibansky said.
City Councilor At-Large Pious Ali said he supports a vaccine mandate for restaurants.
Not everyone is on board. The owner of Gritty McDuff's Brew Pub in Portland said in a statement:
"The city of Portland should respect each business' right to implement their own vaccine mandate."
See the full petition below.
