On Monday, the Delaware County Commissioners passed a resolution, expressing their concerns about the COVID-19 pandemic and urging the State of Ohio to carefully consider its response to the escalating health crisis.
“While the shutdowns in the spring were an emergency measure to immediately protect the public health, safety, and welfare…,” the Commissioners wrote in their resolution, “…the prior shutdowns had a devastating impact on small retail businesses, restaurants, service providers, and schools, many of which have been unable to recover.”
Commissioners Jeff Benton, Barb Lewis and Gary Merrell went on to note that:
- Local small businesses have been financially devastated by the impact of the first shutdown and the continuing business restrictions.
- Children have not received the education and social interaction they need.
- There was a rise in spousal and child abuse, as well as a rise in suicides and drug overdoses.
- There has been a failure to treat other illnesses because of the shutdown, such as cancer and heart issues.
The resolution further decries the use of “sweeping orders for additional shutdowns” and urges the State of Ohio to engage in “targeted enforcement of the existing requirements, punishing the bad actors, not the vast majority working in good faith to follow the existing requirements.”
Finally, the resolution encourages Delaware County residents “to follow all current restrictions and guidance to mitigate the COVID-19 public health emergency, including proper hygiene, close self-monitoring, wearing of facial coverings, and social distancing, not as a matter of legal obligation, but as an expression of solidarity with our community’s health care workers and most vulnerable citizens.”
Here is the full Resolution:
RESOLUTION NO. 20-1030
A RESOLUTION TO EXPRESS THE BOARD’S CONCERNS ABOUT POTENTIAL CLOSURES IN RESPONSE TO THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC AND URGING THE STATE OF OHIO TO CONSIDER ALTERNATIVE MEASURES:
It was moved by Mr. Merrell and seconded by Mrs. Lewis to adopt the following:
WHEREAS, as of today’s date, the State of Ohio has experienced approximately 300,000 cases of COVID-19, resulting in more than 22,000 hospitalizations, and at least 5,722 deaths; and
WHEREAS, in Delaware County alone, there have been more than 4,000 cases and at least 31 deaths; and
WHEREAS, the Delaware County Board of Commissioners (the “Board”) acknowledges the severity of the pandemic and its public health impacts, which has been worsening in recent weeks; and
WHEREAS, the Board has encouraged all residents in Delaware County to follow public health measures, including proper hygiene, close self-monitoring, wearing of facial coverings, and social distancing, and has implemented appropriate mitigation plans for the Board’s departments and employees; and
WHEREAS, as a result of increasing case incidence throughout the State of Ohio, the Governor has informed all Ohioans that additional measures may be necessary, including modifications to existing requirements and the possibility of shutdowns in business and educational sectors; and
WHEREAS, the Board wishes to express its concern that another shutdown of the Ohio economy through State order is unwise and unnecessary, for the following reasons:
- While the shutdowns in the spring were an emergency measure to immediately protect the public health, safety, and welfare by preventing the uncontrolled transmission of COVID-19 and allow hospitals to adequately prepare and develop additional capacity before being inundated with COVID-19 cases, this pandemic is now in its tenth month, allowing ample time for a planned legislative response, which would be more indicative of popular support.
- Ohio citizens and the business community have generally continued to support social distancing and mask wearing, which should be rewarded, by allowing our business community to be empowered to continue to operate in accordance with all current health orders instead of losing their right to operate.
- The prior shutdowns had a devastating impact on small retail businesses, restaurants, service providers, and schools, many of which have been unable to recover, while inadvertently rewarding large companies that were able to continue to operate or even expand as a result of the pandemic.
- Local small businesses have been financially devastated by the impact of the first shut down and the continuing business restrictions. Despite the limitations, businesses have followed orders and should not be further penalized. Another shutdown will only result in more small businesses and restaurants closing permanently. The focus should be on targeted enforcement of the existing requirements, punishing the bad actors, not the vast majority working in good faith to follow the existing requirements.
- The last shutdown resulted in unacceptable trade-offs. Our children did not receive the education and social interaction they needed; there was a rise in spousal and child abuse; there was a rise in suicides and drug overdoses; there was a failure to treat other illnesses because of the shutdown, such as cancer and heart issues, and failure to make other necessary health risk diagnoses.
- Recognizing that one or more vaccines in development are close to approval, the negative consequences of another shutdown have a higher likelihood of outweighing any short-term positive outcomes.
- Delaware County strongly supports rewarding those that have closely adhered to the existing requirements and guidance and focusing on targeted enforcement against those not in compliance.
- Sweeping orders for additional shutdowns would inflict irreparable harm on our society that will have a lasting impact far beyond the current pandemic. We should empower our businesses to lead through these trying times instead of shutting down their operations without regard to the manner in which they have been in compliance.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Board of Commissioners of Delaware County, State of Ohio:
Section 1. The Board hereby urges the State of Ohio to avoid ordering any closures and to redouble efforts to enforce the current restrictions and guidance for all business and educational sectors, including proper hygiene, close self-monitoring, wearing of facial coverings, and social distancing.
Section 2. The Board hereby urges all residents to follow all current restrictions and guidance to mitigate the COVID-19 public health emergency, including proper hygiene, close self-monitoring, wearing of facial coverings, and social distancing, not as a matter of legal obligation, but as an expression of solidarity with our community’s health care workers and most vulnerable citizens, which will allow us to, as much as possible, go about normal life, education, and commerce without long-term negative consequences.
Vote on Motion Mr. Benton Aye Mr. Merrell Aye Mrs. Lewis Aye
I, Jennifer Walraven, Clerk to the Board of County Commissioners hereby certify that the foregoing is a true and correct copy of a resolution of the Board of County Commissioners of Delaware County duly adopted on November 16, 2020, and appearing upon the official records of said Board.
