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Dimple's owners Dimple and Denis Navratil twice applied for the city's emergency small business loans and grants for COVID-19 relief, but were denied because Denis participated in a rally in Madison on April 24 in opposition to the state's Safer at Home order. Denis has filed a defamation claim against the city for Mason's comments regarding the matter. |
RACINE — Denis Navratil, co-owner of Dimple’s with his wife, Dimple, filed a defamation claim against the city for statements made by Mayor Cory Mason regarding the city’s decision not to award the business an emergency relief loan.
In the spring, the City of Racine awarded $900,000 in grants to small businesses affected by the coronavirus. In round one, 18 local businesses received grants up to $15,000 each and in round two 146 businesses received grants ranging from $2,500 to $6,500.
Mason confirmed in a written statement to The Journal Times that the denial to Dimple’s was at least partially based on Navratil’s decision to attend a “Freedom Rally” in Madison organized in opposition to Gov. Tony Evers’ ‘Safer at Home’ initiative.
In a written statement, Mason said, “As Mayor, it is my duty to protect the public health of our City’s residents. While I certainly support the rights of free speech and assembly, I cannot in good conscious send scarce City resources to a person or business that willingly jeopardized public health, especially when they were competing with other businesses who were not flagrantly violating safety measures.”
Butterball's big mouth is going to cost us big money. What a jerk.
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