Will Oregon Follow Washington Model
One of the hardest hits states and the original epicenter for the coronavirus is beginning to open up. Washington’s Governor Jay Inslee says that activities like hunting, fishing, and golfing can begin again on May 5th. the state, to date has had 13,686 cases and 765 deaths. Inslee says this is not a return to normal and public gatherings and sporting events and camping are still on the list of restricted things. Can these changes mean a change for Oregon? Florence is continuing to operate according to state and county mandates and like Washington, there is no indication when normal activities will continue, even though the COVID-19 case load has been much lower than Washington’s. Florence City Manager Erin Reynolds says that we will slowly see changes in the upcoming weeks, but it will be regulated through state and county mandates.
201: “These are things that city officials are involved in conversations and providing feedback, but ultimately, because this is a public health crisis we will continue to work and the direction of public health officials and those that have jurisdiction over that matter.”
The state has not completely shut down things like hunting, fishing and golfing, but certain aspects have been made more difficult. The Port of Siuslaw’s boat launch has been closed for weeks making it necessary for boaters to launch from other access points if they wish to fish on the river or on the ocean.
New Cases – New Fatality
43 three new reported cases of the coronavirus have been added to the state list. Those new numbers also include one more death raising that number to 92. The latest fatality is that of a 91 year old Washington County woman with underlying health conditions. In Lane County there were no cases reported. The last new case for Lane County was on Thursday. The county total stands at 50. Lane county public health officials are saying that there are currently no coronavirus hospitalizations.
Public Meetings
The City of Florence can legally move forward with public meetings and hearings by teleconference, video or through other electronic methods. This does not eliminate the need for public input, but rather changes the way that input is received. Interested citizens with comments or questions can submit written ones through email to the city recorder’s office or by mailing them to City Hall or dropping them off in the drop box in front of city hall. Verbal testimony can also happen if an online speaker’s card is filled out at least one hour prior to the meeting. Information regarding the procedures are available on the city’s website at ci.florence.or.us.
Non-Emergency Procedures
One part of the governor’s phase one reopening of the state will occur on Friday as hospitals can resume non-emergency procedures. That is currently the only portion of Phase one that will be enacted. There is still some work to be done in order to open child care facilities, restaurants, bars, and workout facilities. Those plans could be released later this week with a more definite timeline, but will likely be next week or the week after before definitive plans are revealed.
