Commissioners declare a state of emergency

By RANDY BARTLEY
Staff writer

The Clarion County Board of Commissioners March 17 issued a Declaration of Disaster Emergency effective immediately.

The declaration noted the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 has the “potential” to endanger of threaten the health, safety and welfare of a substantial number of people living in Clarion County and threatens to create problems greater in scope than Clarion County may be able to resolve.”

There have been no reported cases of COVID-19 in Clarion County as of March 17.

The declaration stated emergency management measures are required to be proactive to reduce the potential severity of this disaster and to “protect the health, safety and welfare of the affected residents of Clarion County.”

The county commissioners directed the Clarion County Department of Public Safety emergency management coordinator to coordinate the activities of the emergency response and to work with state and federal authorities to take all “appropriate actions” needed to alleviate the potential effects of the disaster, to aid in the restoration of essential public services and to take “other emergency response action” deemed necessary to respond to the emergency.

The county has formed a leadership committee that includes various department heads, the county sheriff and judge.

The co-chairs of the committee are county legal counsel and the director of public safety.

The Leadership Committee will meet as needed in response to the COVID-19 emergency.

The declaration suspends certain “time-consuming procedures and formalities prescribed by law” pertaining to public works, entering into contracts, incurring obligations, hiring of temporary workers, the rental of equipment, the purchase of supplies and materials, the levying of taxes and the appropriation and expenditure of public funds.

The declaration will remain in force until it is terminated in writing.

Earlier this week Jefferson County and Blair counties adopted similar ordinances.