Clark County Board of Supervisors Votes Down Extension of County Public Health Declaration
Friday, June 12th, 2020 -- 2:01 PM
-The Clark County Board of Supervisors has voted to NOT extend the County Public Health Emergency Declaration with 13 voting yes and 16 voting no.The failed resolution was simply an extension of the declaration that was passed in March. The original declaration expires on June 16th. This new resolution would have extended it to July 17th. Like the original, the resolution would allow the COVID-19 Crisis Team to continue to provide guidance to businesses and organizations throughout the county and keep county residents and county employees safe. An amendment moving up the date to July 6th also failed with 12 voting yes and 17 voting no. With the failure of the extension, the COVID-19 Crisis Team will be dissolved and the Clark County Courthouse will now be completely open next week, giving departments and employees little time to prepare their offices with social distancing, barriers, masks, etc. Between the Supreme Court striking down the state’s Safer at Home Order and the county striking down the county level extension, Clark County residents essentially having free reign without any precautions against spreading the virus besides the state and county health departments simply asking people to do it. The county has issued no public order after the State Supreme Court order struck down the statewide order, whereas other counties have. There was a lot of misinformation being spread via Facebook, and other methods, around the county regarding this resolution that had many believing quarantines, lockdowns, ankle bracelet monitoring and other things would have been mandatory, which simply wasn’t true. The resolution did not include any of that in its language.
Before the vote on the resolution, the board heard from members of the COVID-19 Crisis Team members. They stated there are positive cases all around Clark County with the youngest individual showing symptoms a 2-year-old and the oldest in their 90s. They also stated there are 2 nursing homes in the county under investigation for an outbreak as well as a group home and several businesses. They also have issues with people who have the virus not quarantining and even going as far as holding parties and infecting others, who then continue to go on and not quarantine and infect others. The board did approve a resolution allowing county departments to allow their employees to telecommute if they’re not comfortable returning to work or the department is unable to social distance.
Another item on the agenda was an ordinance change that would have allowed members of the Clark County Health Department to issue citations to those that may not be following public health orders. For example, if an individual with the coronavirus refused to quarantine, the health department could give them a citation. Right now, if they want to do so, they have to pass that information to the county DA before anything can be done. However, by the time the process is completed, the original individual may not be infected and they have already spread it to many others. An amendment making sure that only law enforcement has the power to issue the citation passed. The 1st reading of the overall ordinance did pass, but is not law until after the 2nd reading.
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