Support, concern over state shutdown
♦ County commissioners say they’re committed to halting the coronavirus spread locally.
Floyd County Commission Chair Scotty Hancock said Monday he believes the county has already started to “flatten the curve” by passing emergency ordinances ahead of the governor’s shelter in place order.
The reference is to slowing a projected spike in COVID-19 cases beyond the capacity to treat them.
Hancock said the county commission had previously asked for a statewide executive order, but the governor had originally left the decision up to the cities and counties.
Gov. Brian Kemp eventually issued several executive orders for the state of Georgia, last week, including a shelter-in-place order. The state orders supersede all of the county and city orders and remains in effect until April 13.
Commissioner Allison Watters said she was pleased to see the governor take action, since many counties around the state hadn’t passed ordinances like Floyd’s. Commissioner Larry Maxey agreed, for the most part.
“It’s pretty close to ours ... Our county’s ordinance was a little stricter than this, but I think it was something that was needed,” Maxey said.
While the commissioners said they are glad the governor put a statewide order in place, there is some worry about how it supersedes Floyd County’s ordinance.
Vice Chair Wright Bagby said it prevents local governments from passing stricter ordinances for areas that may need more protective measures.
“I think that we ought to be able to tighten the screws a little bit ... just like the people on Tybee Island, who closed their beaches,” Bagby said.
However, the commissioner said that the order is very similar to Floyd’s ordinance and not much changed for the county.
Commissioner Rhonda Wallace said that she was very thankful that people are staying in and taking care of themselves during this uncertain time. But she went on to note that the state order only runs through April 13 and she feels like it might end too soon.
The commissioners will have a board meeting the day after the order expires and Wallace said they expect to extend their emergency ordinance to the end of the month.
Like Bagby, Hancock voiced concern about the possible need for stricter guidelines in the area and county.
“It restricted some (cities and counties), but it wasn’t as strict as the city’s or ours,” Hancock said.
Hancock said that if the governor extends the order, it will have to be sometime before April 13.