RUTLAND — While the state previously said that a summer camp at Rutland’s Holiday Inn had breached the Covid-19 era hotel capacity allowance, a permit may allow all of the campers to stay.
Michael Schirling, commissioner of the Department of Public Safety, confirmed Thursday that camp director Rabbi Moshe Perlstein has applied for a permit from the state to operate as a summer camp, which would increase the hotel’s authorized capacity from 50% to 75%.
Schirling wrote in an email that the Department of Health, which has jurisdiction over the permitting process, “historically has granted applications for similar operations.”
The camp is hosting between 350 and 400 campers. With 150 rooms, the Holiday Inn’s capacity is capped at 600 guests. Applying Scott’s 50% capacity rule for hotels would limit the camp to 300 campers, meaning 50 to 100 campers would need to be sent elsewhere.
If Vermont’s Department of Health grants the permit, the camp will fall under Gov. Phil Scott’s summer camp mandate, which allows 75% capacity, and would require no further action from the camp or the hotel.
For Perlstein, the approval of the permit would mark a resolution to a public, weeks-long struggle with local residents, the town and the state. He commended Schirling for working to consider the health and safety of the community while exploring avenues for the camp.
“He is someone that gets it,” he said. “He is someone that understands the safety and health of the people in Vermont, but then, at the same time, let’s see if we can do both.”
Rutland Town Selectboard Chair Josh Terenzini told VTDigger last week he hoped the state would not split the campers only to send them to different lodging facilities in town. He said that would be “counterproductive” because it could expose additional Rutland community members to out-of-state campers.
Terenzini assumes the state permit will be granted, and he has continued to hear from concerned residents in Rutland who worry about the camp’s size and its potential to spread Covid-19.
He’s frustrated, he said, that the state may allow the Holiday Inn to work around its initial violation of Gov. Phil Scott’s Covid-19 orders.
“I know that I speak for many in our community who are disappointed with the state’s ruling on this, allowing it to stay a campground,” he said. “It’s purely from a standpoint of health and safety. Just south of us by 30 minutes, we’re seeing an influx of Covid-19 cases in Manchester, and we have a community that’s been very cautious and is very concerned about the virus and community spread amongst us.”
He said he hopes his concerns are unwarranted, and emphasized his desire to see the same group return when the pandemic ends.
Perlstein said he’s given out his phone number to many community members who are concerned about the camp. He said he hopes Terenzini will tell concerned residents to contact him.
“I ask — I’m actually begging. If people are reaching out to you, give them my number,” Perlstein said. “Give them my email address. I will talk to them.”
Perlstein said campers will continue to isolate themselves from the Rutland community to protect local residents.
“Believe me, I get it,” Perlstein said. “No one is leaving campus.”
Correction: A previous version of this story incorrectly identified the Holiday Inn as having 150 beds. It has 150 rooms.
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