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Wednesday, October 15, 2008

City Chews on Grades for Eateries

By Dan McKay
Journal Staff Writer
       Even before they walk in the door, Albuquerque diners confront the red-or-green question.
    As in, have city inspectors issued a green sticker, meaning the restaurant is clean enough for approval? Or red, meaning it failed an inspection?
    That could change.
    City Hall is considering whether to issue letter grades to restaurants. Diners would know whether the establishment is just getting by with a "C" or flying high with an "A."
    The proposed revisions to the food-sanitation ordinance would also allow for self-inspections in some cases for restaurants with high grades. Otherwise, Albuquerque's eateries would see a city inspector at least twice a year.
    City Councilor Trudy Jones, who sponsored the proposal at the mayor's request, said the grading system offers incentive for restaurants to "be the best."
    "I like that idea," she said. "I would much rather dine at a restaurant that has the desire and incentive to do the right thing versus a pass or fail."
    An industry group says the letter grades could be misleading, especially if a great restaurant just has an off day during inspection.
    The red-green system "is more fair," said Carol Wight, chief executive officer at the New Mexico Restaurant Association. "Either you are clean enough and have the right health standards to stay in business, or you don't."
    Under the current system, a red sticker means a restaurant has failed a city inspection. The establishment then has 10 days to pass a reinspection or its operating permit is suspended.
    Athena Chaffee, who owns Athena's Place at 10th and Coal SW, said she wouldn't have a problem with the grading system. She said she has been inspected twice since January, when she took over the old Punk Rock Pizza/Wrap-It-Up establishment Downtown.
    "I think it makes people aware of what they're walking into before they eat," Chaffee said in an interview.
    But Wight said a problem that's fixed during the inspection could trigger a lower grade. The grade, then, would be outdated from the time it was posted. She also said that sometimes restaurants are marked down for "structural issues" unrelated to food safety, such as inadequate lighting.
    Here's a look at the ordinance:
    n Restaurants would have to post their Letter Grade Card in a public area chosen by the city inspector. There would be grades of A, B and C for passing establishments.
    n Restaurants with grades under 70 percent would get a "U," for unsatisfactory. They would have 10 days to bring the grade up or lose their permit.
    n Every restaurant would get inspected at least twice a year, more if the city believes it's warranted. Owners could request a reinspection if they want to improve their grade.
    n A restaurant that has scored A's for 12 months could do a self-inspection in lieu of one city inspection. To be eligible, the restaurant would have to have a manager certified in food safety complete the inspection. A city inspector wouldn't be present, but the city would review the form filled out by the restaurant. There would be penalties for failing to do the inspection correctly.
    The bill is expected to go before the council's finance committee in November.
    John Soladay, the city's director of environmental health, said revenue from the program would pay for four extra city inspectors, allowing the city to increase the number of inspections it does on restaurants overall.
    The extra revenue would come from a new schedule of permit fees. Restaurants would pay an annual fee of $200 to $600, based on their sales, up from the current range of $100 to $400.