Rochester, MN (KROC-AM News) - The City of Rochester has joined restaurant owners and other groups in urging Governor Tim Walz to modify his executive order involving the reopening of restaurants and bars to allow some indoor dining.

The city has released a letter sent by Rochester Mayor Kim Norton to the governor on behalf of herself and the City Council requesting two specific modifications to the order he issued last week allowing the establishments to reopen using limited outdoor seating. The city is asking Walz to allow the restaurants to open and provide service utilizing 25-percent of their indoor space. In addition, the mayor says the city is requesting the discretion to allow for non-contiguous areas for the outdoor serving of food and alcoholic beverages.

The letter states, as a medical destination, Rochester will have to be a leader in community-based strategies to protect the vulnerable patient population. It goes on to say that the city's visitors will also need to feel comfortable coming here and the city sees the requests as an extension of that work.

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