Radnor extends state of emergency for 60 days

RADNOR » Radnor officials extended their state of emergency for the next two months. At the same time, they also decided not to open the Radnor Trail.

The extension was for 60 days or whenever Gov. Tom Wolf ends the statewide disaster declaration, whichever is later.

Their original declaration was first declared on March 12. The board of commissioners then approved a two-week emergency declaration on March 16 that had to be renewed.

Like most municipalities throughout the region, Radnor is holding its meetings remotely.

Before the vote, Third Ward Commissioner Rich Booker reiterated a question from a week earlier about a justification for the commissioners having meetings and taking votes remotely rather than in person.

Solicitor John Rice said that based on Wolf’s declaration, the federal government’s actions and the township’s declaration under the emergency services management act that the formalities are suspended.

“There’s basically a notravel advisory in Delaware County,” Rice said. “The guidance that I’m getting … given the circumstances, these types of meetings are appropriate provided that you provide an opportunity electronic or otherwise for public comment or questions.”

According to Rice, every municipality that Radnor typically deals with is providing different ways for public comment or to view meetings.

Booker also asked about reopening the Radnor Trail.

“I’ve been getting a lot of complaints about closing the [Radnor] Trail,” Booker said. “And I would ask that we open the trail and just require people to stay six feet apart. I think they can handle it.”

Commissioner Damien Enderle said it was his understanding that Radnor

EMTs recently checked the area and said there were hundreds of people on the trail.

“They were not social distancing,” he said. “There were people stopping to talk to each other with dogs, and there were far too many bikes for safety reasons.”

Acting Township Manager Bill White said the trail is not conducive to the large number of people that were using it.

“The parking lot is tight, the trail itself is tight,” White said. “There’s nowhere to go to escape the masses of people that were congregating there. So even if everyone did everything within their power to socially distance themselves, it was still not an environment that was consistent with the messages and the recommendations we are getting from the federal and state levels of government that are telling us that places where people congregate and places where people can get together is a bad idea.”