RESOLUTION NO. 2020-10
A RESOLUTION TO ADDRESS A PUBLIC
HEALTH CRISIS BY RECOMMENDING COMPLIANCE WITH CERTAIN MEASURES WHICH HAVE BEEN
RECOMMENDED TO SLOW THE COMMUNITY SPREAD OF THE VIRUS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE
COVID-19 DISEASE.
WHEREAS, an outbreak of the COVID-19 disease, which is
caused by the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 (the “virus”), has been confirmed in
more than 100 countries, including the United States; and
WHEREAS, COVID-19 is a severe respiratory disease
caused by the virus transmitted by person-to-person contact, or by contact
with surfaces contaminated by the virus. In some cases, especially among older
adults and persons with serious underlying health conditions, virus infection
can result in serious illness requiring hospitalization, admission to an
intensive care unit, and death; and
WHEREAS, the World Health
Organization (WHO), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and
the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services have declared
the outbreak of the virus causing the COVID-19 disease as a public health
emergency; and
WHEREAS, on March 13,
2020, President Donald Trump declared a national emergency in response to the
global pandemic of COVID-19; and
WHEREAS, on the same day,
Governor Kristi Noem, issued Executive Order 2020-04 which declared a state of
emergency to exist in the State of South Dakota in response to the spread of
the virus causing the COVID-19 disease; and
WHEREAS, cases of
infection from the virus causing the COVID-19 disease have been confirmed in
the State of South Dakota, and cases of community transmission are reasonably
suspected to exist; and
WHEREAS, the CDC and
health experts have recommended social distancing to slow the spread of the
virus causing the COVID-19 disease; and
WHEREAS, social distancing
is a method of slowing down or stopping the spread of a contagious disease by
reducing the probability of contact between infected persons and those not
infected in order to minimize disease transmission; and
WHEREAS, in response to
the need to implement social distancing, all schools in the State of South
Dakota have been closed for at least two weeks; and
WHEREAS, on March 16th,
the White House issued guidance recommending that gatherings of more than ten
(10) people be avoided and that people avoid eating or drinking at bars,
restaurants, and food courts; and
WHEREAS, the guidance
issued by the White House further recommended that in states with evidence of
community transmission, bars, restaurants, food courts, gyms, and other indoor
and outdoor venues where people congregate should be closed; and
WHEREAS, many states and
communities across the country have already implemented the White House
recommendations by ordering all bars, restaurants, food courts, gyms, and other
indoor and outdoor venues where people congregate be closed until the public
health emergency is over; and
WHEREAS, the failure to
successfully implement social distancing will likely result in higher numbers
of infected individuals and has the potential to overwhelm the capacity of the
City’s and surrounding communities’ health care providers; and
WHEREAS, it is important
that control measures be taken to reduce or slow down the spread of the virus
in order to protect the health and safety of the City’s residents, especially
for seniors and those with underlying health conditions that make them
particularly vulnerable to the COVID-19 disease; and
WHEREAS, on March 23,
2020, Governor Kristi Noem, issued Executive Order 2020-08 outlining guidelines
for all South Dakotans, for-profit and not-for-profit employers, enclosed
retail businesses that promote public gatherings, and healthcare organizations
as it relates to COVID-19 in the state of South Dakota (the “Executive Order”);
and
WHEREASE, the City Council
of the City of Garretson supports the Executive Order and urges its residents
and businesses to observe the directives of the Executive Order and follow CDC
guidance as it relates to COVID-19 in the state of South Dakota.
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the Garretson
City Council that:
(1) The City Council of the City of
Garretson supports the Executive Order and urges its residents and businesses
to observe the directives of the Executive Order and follow CDC guidance as it
relates to COVID-19 in the state of South Dakota.
(2) Specifically, the City recommends
and strongly urges all employers, both for profit and not-for-profit, within
the City of Garretson should:
a. Implement the recommended CDC
hygiene practices and other business strategies designed to reduce the
likelihood of spreading the disease.
b. Understand that the COVID-19 is
not a short-term challenge, and operations will need to endure a difficult and
limited social environment for potentially eight weeks or more.
c. Innovate and continue to
demonstrate entrepreneurial excellence in their operations during this
difficult and uncertain environment.
d. Encourage staff to telework if
possible, implement social distancing measures, limit unnecessary work
gatherings, limit non-essential travel, and consider regular health checks
including CDC guidance for COVID-19 screening if possible
e. Offer, to the extent possible,
special shopping times or access periods for populations particularly
vulnerable to COVID-19.
(3) Further, any “enclosed retail
business that promotes public gatherings” within the City of Garretson are
strongly urged to:
a. Suspend or modify business
practices as recommended by CDC guidance that involve ten or more people in an
enclosed space where physical separation of at least six feet is not possible.
b. Continue offering or consider
offering business models that do not involve public gatherings, including food
service takeout, delivery, drive-through, curb-side service, off-site services,
social distancing models, or other innovative business practices that do not
involve public gatherings in an enclosed space.
c. Consider business arrangements and
innovative ideas intended to support the critical infrastructure sectors, as
defined by the Department of Homeland Security.
(4) In order to assist with the
implementation of these recommendations, the City shall post the Executive
Order and the latest CDC guidelines on its website and at City Hall. CDC
recommendations shall be updated as soon as reasonable possible as new
guidelines are issued.
(5) The City Council directs its City
staff, with the assistance of its elected officials, to work with local
businesses in the implementation of the Executive Order and CDC guidelines with
a goal of minimizing economic impact on local businesses.
(6) The City Council recognizes that
the outbreak of COVID-19 in the United States and the State of South Dakota is
an ever-evolving issue that will require ongoing evaluation by the City and may
require further action, including, but not limited to mandating the observance
of the directives in the Executive Order.
(7) This Resolution shall remain in
effect until such time as the State of South Dakota is no longer under a state
of emergency in response to the spread of the virus causing the COVID-19
disease, at which time it shall be automatically repealed without further
action of the Garretson City Council, unless repealed earlier by City Council.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that, pursuant to
SDCL 9-19-13, this resolution is necessary for the immediate preservation of
the public peace, health, safety, welfare, and support of the City and shall
become effective immediately upon passage and publication.
Dated this 25 day of March, 2020.
CITY OF GARRETSON, SOUTH DAKOTA
_______________________________
Mayor
ATTEST:
_______________________________
Finance Officer
(SEAL)
Reading and Adoption:
_____________________
Publication: ________________________
Effective Date:
_______________________
Published once at the approximate
cost of __________________.
