During a called meeting on Monday afternoon, Monroe County Commissioners unanimously approved a resolution declaring a local state of emergency due to the ongoing threat of COVID-19. The county’s state of emergency will remain in effect through midnight on Friday, April 10.
By declaring a countywide state of emergency, four things are accomplished, according to Monroe County interim Public Safety/Emergency Management Agency (EMA) Director Brian Meadows. These include:
1.) Monroe County EMA can activate its Emergency Operations Plan.
2.) Commissioners have the authority to waive procedures and establish curfews (although commissioners decided not to implement a countywide curfew at this point).
3.) Establishes a voluntary daily shelter in place policy between the hours of 9 p.m. and 6 a.m. that will take effect beginning at 9 p.m. on Wednesday, March 25.
4.) Prohibits gatherings of 10 persons or more, including in local restaurants and churches. However, grocery stores, fuel stations, pharmacies and health and medical care facilities are excluded.
Exclusions to the voluntary shelter in place policy include:
1.) traveling to and from an emergency funeral,
2.) traveling to and from work,
3.) traveling to and from activities involving the exercise of First Amendment rights,
4.) interstate and intrastate vehicular travel through Monroe County,
5.) walking/running for physical exercise,
6.) traveling to procure food,
7.) traveling to seek medical attention,
8.) emergency services personnel executing this order,
9.) activities relating to agriculture, forestry and tending or caring for crops and livestock.
Meadows told commissioners that he dislikes calling for emergency declarations because it’s indicative of a problem. However, he said in this instance he feels it’s in the county’s best interest to protect the lives of citizens and to reduce Coronavirus spread. “Protection of life is the highest priority for limiting the effects of COVID-19,” Meadows said.
Meadows added that Monroe County Fire/EMS has been proactive in ensuring the safety of its own personnel, including mandating body temperature checks for EMTs prior to and after going out on medical calls. He said Monroe County EMS’s cleaning and decontamination policies even exceed federal Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines.
Monday’s resolution came nine days after Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp declared a statewide public health emergency on March 14. Kemp is expected to hold a press conference at 5 p.m. later today during which further statewide restrictions could be implemented. Any stricter guidelines Kemp implements pertaining to curfews or shelter in place policies would supersede the county’s declaration.
The cities of Forsyth and Culloden also made similar emergency declarations on Monday.
Commissioners’ meeting came hours after a Monday morning conference call between representatives of a number of local agencies.
– Representing Monroe County were: County Commission chairman Greg Tapley, District 2 Commissioner Eddie Rowland, County Manager Jim Hedges, Director Meadows, Interim Fire Chief Jason Lott, EMS/EMA Public Information Officer Shane Cook, EMS Administrative Assistant Carrie Davis and Kristal Smith, the county’s Deputy EMA Director for Infectious Disease Control, who served as the moderator.
– Representing the City of Forsyth were: Mayor Eric Wilson, City Manager Janice Hall, Fire Chief David Herndon and Police Chief Eddie Harris.
– Representing Monroe County Schools were: Superintendent Mike Hickman and Assistant Superintendent Jackson Daniel. Representing Monroe County Hospital were: CEO Lorraine Smith and Patient Care Services Director Casey Fleckenstein.
– Also, representing the Monroe County Health Department was: Director of Nursing Whitney Lovett.
The latest data from the Georgia Department of Public Health shows 772 confirmed Coronavirus cases in Georgia (one in Monroe County), up 25 percent from the 620 cases reported Sunday. Thus far, 25 Georgians have died as a result of COVID-19.
