MUSKEGON COUNTY, Mich. — The Muskegon County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday voted 5-4 to extend its local state of emergency allowing the county board of commissioners to hold meetings virtually. Board of Commissioners Chairperson Robert Scolnik declared the state of emergency last week but it needed the board's approval to be extended.
Previously, a temporary change to state law allowed public bodies to conduct their meetings virtually for any reason. That amendment expired on March 31 and the continuation of virtual meetings required a local state of emergency.
The extension will last through December 31, but the county commission can revoke the state of emergency at any time.
Scolnik voted in favor of the extension along with Rillastine Wilkins, Marcia Hovey-Wright, Susie Hughes and Vice Chairperson Charles Nash. Those voting against the extension were Zach Lahring, Malinda Pego, Doug Brown and Kim Cyr.
Most people who spoke during public comment opposed the state of emergency extension. Many called it a government overreach. Some callers expressed concern that holding county board meetings exclusively on a virtual basis prevents people without access to internet from participating in the meetings.
Some of the callers who expressed their opposition to the extension falsely believed that the local state of emergency had to do with business closings and mask mandates. The local state of emergency only allows that public meetings may be held virtually.
A few callers supported the extension of the state of emergency, saying that they like being able to access the meetings from home.
The move to extend the state of emergency comes after a presentation earlier in the meeting by Public Health Officer Kathy Moore who spoke on the state of COVID-19 in Muskegon County.
Muskegon County Public Health considers the number of new cases and the number of hospitalizations in the county the biggest concerns right now. Moore says the seven-day positivity rate in Muskegon County has risen above 17 percent, however it is performing better than neighboring Kent and Ottawa counties in terms of new cases per one million people.
Public Health considers the number of deaths related to COVID-19 in Muskegon County to be low. Since the pandemic began, the deaths of 299 people in Muskegon County have been found to have been related to COVID-19. A bulk of those deaths happened in fall of 2020 and since the year 2021 began, about 32 deaths have been found to be related to COVID-19.
Around 25 percent of Muskegon County is fully vaccinated. The biggest age group with a high vaccine rate has been those 65 years and older with 74 percent having at least had their first dose.
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