In its report, the health department stated its “investigation revealed environmental factors such as a loss of hot water, loss of all water, the large number of ill employees at the facility, a general lack of handwashing and dishmachine sanitizer failure that may have caused fecal/oral contamination of multiple food items, and contributed to the spread of Salmonella javiana.”
The LCHD scheduled a hearing to discuss Chili’s management’s failure to cease operations during periods where no hot water, or no water at all, was available, failure to adequately monitor their employees’ health, and the steps management had implemented to prevent future outbreaks. Following the hearing, Executive Director Dale Galassie stated that Chili’s had violated local ordinances by remaining open and serving customers while without available water.
Although LCHD decided not to pursue punitive measures against Chili’s and its management, the department sent a letter to Chili’s corporate parent requesting reimbursement of outbreak-related investigation costs, including testing and training of staff, in the total amount of $32,500. Mr. Galassie stated, “These were extraordinary circumstances. There were excessive costs in dealing with [the outbreak] and therefore we are requesting reimbursement. The good news is that it prevented a secondary outbreak as a result of cooperation of the Chili’s corporation, local media, and ourselves, but it doesn’t excuse poor local management decisions made that caused it.”