Fort Oglethorpe extends health emergency through April

offer drive-thru, carry-out, curbside pick-up and delivery of food and drink.

Under the new declaration, more businesses must remain closed. “Gyms, fitness centers, tanning beds, tattoo and body art establishments, pools, social clubs, amusement facilities, bowling alleys, pool halls, theaters, massage parlors, nail salons, barber and beauty salons, children playgrounds and any other similar facility, any facility used for an activity that involves prolonged physical proximity of individuals, and any facility used for entertainment, social grooming, or general health and wellbeing purposes, must close and remain closed for the duration of this emergency.”

The declaration

NOW, THEREFORE, IT IS HEREBY DECLARED that a local state of emergency exists within the City.

THEREFORE, IT IS ORDERED AND ORDAINED BY THE AUTHORITY OF THE MAYOR FOR THE CITY OF FORT OGLETHORPE AS FOLLOWS:

Section 1. Findings of Fact For purposes of describing the circumstances which warrant the adoption of an emergency declaration, the Mayor of the City of Fort Oglethorpe hereby adopts and makes the findings included in the “WHEREAS” clauses as findings of fact.

Section 2. Declaration of Public Health State of Emergency

The Mayor hereby declares a public health state of emergency within the City because of the proliferation of COVID-19 in the United States and the State of Georgia, which will remain in force and effect until April 30, 2020, or until further notice if abated sooner.

Section 3. Public Gatherings on City Property

For the duration of the declared emergency, there shall he no public gatherings on any property owned or controlled by the City. To avoid confusion, the following definitions shall apply under this Section: a “public gathering” shall mean the organized gathering or assembly of 10 or more persons at a specific location; property owned or controlled by the City shall include any park, public square, public space, playground, recreational area, or similar place of public gathering, but nothing herein shall prohibit individuals or families from using sidewalks or designated pedestrian areas of parks for walking or other exercise if they are not participating in an organized gathering.

Section 4. Utility Services For the duration of the declared emergency, the City will not disconnect any public utility service provided by the City on account of non-payment. After the conclusion of the declared emergency, persons will have a period of 30 days to make such payments before service may be disconnected.

Section 5. Classification of City Services

For the duration of the declared emergency, the City Manager shall be vested with the following discretion and authority, to wit:

(a) To categorize City services as either “required” or “discretionary,” and to periodically review and modify such categories.

(b) To assign specific employees to required or discretionary services, and to periodically review and modify such assignments.

(c) To use his or her discretion to permit employees to telework.

(d) To temporarily suspend the provision of discretionary services and to direct employees who provide discretionary services not to report to work until such time as the service suspension is lifted or until such time as the City Manager redirects the employee to other services.

(e) To contract for and expend non-budgeted sums and services, as in his or her discretion may be required to meet the demands upon government and services of the City for the duration of the declared emergency, including therein authority to spend such sums from the reserves of the City. Any such nonbudgeted expenditures shall be reported to the governing authority of the City.

(f) To maintain, to the best of the ability of the resources of the City, the provision of essential services, which shall include, but not be limited to, public safety, public works, healthcare, and building permits.

Section 6. Tolling of Deadlines

Any deadlines for the purchasing or obtaining by persons or businesses of occupation tax certificates, permits or similar civil approvals mandated by the City Code shall be tolled for the duration of the emergency as established herein, and for 15 days thereafter. Such persons or businesses shall obtain necessary permissions required by law but deadlines set by the City Code are tolled for the duration of the emergency as established herein, and for 15 days thereafter.

Section 7. Eating Establishments

Restaurants and other eating and dining establishments, where food is served must cease offering dine-in services but may continue preparing and offering food to customers via delivery, drive-through or take-out services. Patrons, employees and contractors of the eating establishments must maintain at least six (6) feet of personal distance between themselves and others. If a restaurant is licensed to sell beer and wine for onpremises consumption, such restaurant, during the effective dates of this declaration only, shall be authorized to sell unopened bottles or cans of beer or wine for take-out consumption off-premises.

Section 8. Closure of Certain Businesses

Gyms, fitness centers, tanning beds, tattoo and body art establishments, pools, social clubs, amusement facilities, bowling alleys, pool halls, theaters, massage parlors, nail salons, barber and beauty salons, children playgrounds and any other similar facility, any facility used for an activity that involves prolonged physical proximity of individuals, and any facility used for entertainment, social grooming, or general health and wellbeing purposes, must close and remain closed for the duration of this emergency.

Section 9. Personal Distance All other establishments not covered in Sections 7 or 8 of this declaration such as grocery stores, pharmacies, and other businesses which remain open during the emergency must post signage on entrance doors informing consumers to maintain at least six (6) feet of personal distance between themselves and others and shall not allow more than ten (10) people into such establishment at any one time if such social distancing cannot be maintained.

Section 10. Gatherings

All public and private gatherings of more than ten (10) people occurring outside of a household or living unit are prohibited. Nothing in this declaration, however, prohibits the gathering of individuals for the purposes of carrying on business certified as “essential by the Georgia Emergency Management Agency pursuant to O.C.G.A. § 38 3-58, the provision of medical or health services, or critical infrastructure businesses and employees as designated by the Governor or identified by U.S. Department of Homeland Security Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (as may be found in the Memorandum on Identification of Essential Critical Infrastructure Workers During COVID-19 Response, or subsequent document).

Section 11. Emergency Interim Successor to Manager/ Administrator

If the City Manager is unable to perform his or her duties, then the individual designated by the City Manager as the emergency interim successor pursuant to 0.C.G.A. § 38-350 shall assume the duties of the City Manager.

Section 12. Procurement The bid and competitive portions of the City’s Procurement Policy or ordinances are hereby suspended and the City Manager is authorized to utilize the single-source policy and to require departments to provide a written justification for the procurement during the effective dates of this Resolution and/or utilize any emergency procurement provisions contained. The City Manager shall continue to seek the best prices during the state of emergency. Section 13. Signage

All ordinances regulating temporary signs, that direct or inform the public how to comply with this Order, are hereby suspended.