Pandemic disaster declaration extended

NORRISTOWN » A previously issued emergency disaster declaration was extended for the fifth consecutive time during a Montgomery County Board of Commissioners meeting amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

The order was first established on March 8, according to the proclamation. Officials cited “widespread outbreak of coronavirus that overwhelmed first responders, healthcare providers and businesses within Montgomery County.”

It was extended in April, in June, August, and once again in October. The most recent extension lapsed on Dec. 6. The additional authority retroactively took effect on Dec. 7, and would cover the next 60-day window until

early February.

The legislation instructs the county’s Office of Public Health and the Department of Public Safety “to coordinate the activities of the emergency response; to take all appropriate action needed to alleviate the effects of this disaster; to aid in the restoration of essential public services; and to take any other emergency response action deemed necessary to respond to this disaster emergency.”

Solicitor Josh Stein said the declaration also allows for “reimbursement” from the state “for certain costs” as well as assisting area agencies in need of resources.

For inst a nc e , St ein noted funding that was secured for several food pantries “ahead of the holiday season when that aid was desperately needed as a result of the continued impacts of the pandemic, which would not have been possible without the disaster declaration being in place.”

Montgomery County Commissioners’ Vice Chairman Ken Lawrence Jr. sought to inquire further about if the order could impose potential restrictions on schools and businesses.

To which Stein said, “Oh no, not in the least.”

“So all this resolution does is allows us to be reimbursed for services that we are incurring due to the pandemic?” Lawrence asked.

“There are a number of options that are available to the county as a result of having this declaration in place including allowing us to have an all-virtual meeting such as we are having currently, but it permits the county to get reimbursement and to act quickly to respond when needs arise without having to go through certain formalities,” Stein said.

The motion to extend the emergency order narrowly passed in a 2-1 vote with Republican Commissioner Joe Gale opposed.