City council implements Las Cruces Safe Promise to hamper COVID-19

The Las Cruces City Council unanimously passed a resolution at a Friday, July 24, special meeting to implement the Las Cruces Safe Promise campaign that is part of a state program for the safe reopening of businesses in response to COVID-19.

“The goal of this campaign is to unify the entire state of New Mexico by keeping communities, residents and customers safe,” according to city documents. “The New Mexico Tourism Department launched New Mexico Safe Certified Program aimed at businesses to go through training specific to their industry for COVID-19 safe business practices for the prevention of the spread of COVID-19.”

City economist Francisco Pallares, Ph.D. said the program includes online training for businesses on COVID-safe practices (including wearing facemasks and maintaining six-foot social distancing). Businesses who take the pledge receive a Las Cruces Safe Promise seal which they can display.

“Having that seal in a business will tell people it’s safe to use this business,” Councilor Gill Sorg said.

Pallares said individuals can also make the promise. Visit www.nmsafepromise.org/.

Pallares said there is no charge to participate in the program.

Participants at the council’s July 24 meeting included Las Cruces Economic Recovery Ad Hoc Board (LCERB) Chair Christopher Schaljo and Deputy Chair Debbi Moore. The council created LCERB “to provide recommendations to the mayor and city council on strategies for gradually reopening Las Cruces economy affected by the COVID-19 pandemic in a smart, safe and effective manner that fits the needs of Las Cruces specifically and in alignment with the direction of New Mexico Economic Recovery Council (NMERC),” according to city documents.

“I think this is going to be beneficial,” said Moore, who is president and CEO of the Greater Las Cruces Chamber of Commerce. The chamber is already certified through the New Mexico Safe Promise campaign, Moore said.