Lock Haven Restates COVID Mitigation Measures in City

LOCK HAVEN, PA – Citing the need to “ensure the safety and well-being” of city residents as the incidence and positivity rate of COVID-19 continue to climb in the community, City Manager Greg Wilson has reiterated current mitigation steps in effect in Lock Haven, dating back to March when the coronavirus first came into play in the community:

As the positive cases of COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2) continue to rise in the community, the City of Lock Haven is issuing a statement that identifies the mitigation measures currently in effect in the city under the declaration of emergency originally issued March 17 as amended:

For public use and access to city-owned facilities and worksites:

• City Hall, the Public Works garage at Second Avenue, the city’s Piper Airport and the Wastewater Treatment Plant are open by appointment only. No walk-ins will be received at any facility.

• The city’s fire stations of Hand-in-Hand, Hope Hose and Citizens Hose are strongly recommended to end all public functions and restrict access to the facility to only city-paid employees and those volunteers responding to emergency calls

• There are to be no on-site meetings of authorities, boards, committees or commissions that are not already approved by the City Manager and currently advertised

• All meetings of City Council, authorities, boards, committees and commission are to take place via videoconference as provided for by Act 15 of 2020 that enables that local government agencies are authorized to hold remote meetings during the emergency declaration. A physical quorum (i.e., a quorum all in the same room) is not needed. However, there must be a quorum participating remotely during the COVID-19 disaster emergency declaration

• All city playgrounds and court facilities are open if signed appropriately notifying users of the obvious and apparent risk of using equipment and facilities that have not been disinfected

• All public ball fields are closed

• A maximum of 25 people is permitted in any city park

• Any visitor to a city building must wear a mask – if a visitor is not able to wear a mask due to a medical reason, a reasonable accommodation through telephone, videoconference or US post will be provided

• All guests entering a city facility must take their temperature upon entering the building, anyone with a temperature above 100 degrees Fahrenheit will be turned away

• Residents are strongly encouraged to download the Lock Haven City app to their smartphone for the quickest response to an issue including issues involving nonemergency public works

• As a reminder, all orders issued under the COVID-19 emergency declaration made by the Governor or the Secretary of Health shall be in force as if adopted by City Council and, at the discretion of the Chief Enforcement Officer/Director of Public Safety of the City of Lock Haven shall be enforced.

Measures taken to ensure the safety of city employees:

• Employees recognized in the April 1 amendment to the city’s declaration of the state of emergency who are authorized to work remotely must do so to the greatest extent possible, and if not possible, must adhere to a preassigned schedule of times to be on-site to reduce crossover between employees

• All employees must wear a mast at all times, even if alone in their workplace or office

• Employees who are not able to work remotely must segregate themselves as much as possible from other workmates in individual office workspaces

• Employees engaged in public works operations must stagger work start and stop times as well as break and lunch times

• No more than 10 employees may be in any one room meant for large groups simultaneously

• Break and lunch areas must be arranged to ensure proper 6-foot spacing and forward-only seating

• All employees must wash their hands with soap and water at least once every hour of work

• All employees must take their temperature upon entering the building at the beginning of their shift

• All mail received by the city shall be quarantined for 24 hours before being processed to the appropriate office

• All shared surfaces in all city facilities must be sanitized according to existing protocols put in place during the first half hour of the shift, during mid-day, and again during the last half hour of the shift.

• Any employee who fails to follow the direction from a medical professional or a federal, state or local government entity to quarantine or undertake other mitigation efforts to halt the spread of COVID-19 will be subject to termination

• No employee may be within 6 feet of another employee unless the task they are performing has no other option to work safely than to be within 6 feet of a coworker and in those instances employee must still adhere to wearing masks