City of Lock Haven Extends State of Emergency Proclamation
LOCK HAVEN – City Council Monday night extended the state of emergency proclamation past its previously-set May 3 deadline. The unanimous approval by council means that all city-owned operations will stay closed to the public until further notice. City recreational facilities will also remain closed and gatherings of more than 10 people are prohibited on city streets, parks and in public places.
Prior to the council vote, City Manager Greg Wilson said the extension of the state of emergency is a way to cautiously move forward and try to stress that people avoid additional reasons to venture into the city where infection rates are higher than other portions of the county. He did note the numbers have improved in recent days. The state of emergency will remain in effect until rescinded by city council.
The resolution also strongly suggests:
All government-owned public places, including but not limited to any county, state, or federal enclosed area which serves as a workplace, commercial establishment, or an area where the public is invited or permitted within the city’s limits should remain closed to the general public unless already open under life-sustaining provisions of the governor until the community’s infection rate or total testing rate improves to Health Department standards; and businesses, construction and nonprofits permitted to reopen under the governor’s “yellow phase” within the City’s limits should take extreme precaution by implementing the practices recommended by the Department of Health as if still in the “red phase” because of the higher rate of infection in the Lock Haven zip code area.
Meanwhile the city has begun returning furloughed workers to the workforce. Beginning April 13, the city had furloughed 24 employees as a result of the statewide stay-at-home order. Wilson reported at Monday’s “virtual” meeting that over the past three weeks, 10 have been returned to either full-time or part-time employment. Nine full-time and five part-time employees remain on furlough. He reported that one employee who will be out of quarantine on May 9 will be able to return to work May 11 along with four other employees in public works who are scheduled to return on that day.
