OTTAWA COUNTY, Mich.- Ottawa County extended their local state of emergency declaration through September 28, 2020.
Ottawa County first declared the local state of emergency on March 24, 2020 amid the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, that was set in place until May 28, 2020. It was extended again through July 28, 2020, and now it has been extended through September 28, 2020. On July 14, 2020 Governor Whitmer extended the emergency declaration for the state of Michigan.
Ottawa County Administrator Al Vanderberg told 13 ON YOUR SIDE the local state of emergency extension is out of an abundance of caution.
"This has nothing to do with any stay at home orders or anything like that, we're open for business both online and in our offices," Vanderberg says. "Really I can sum it up in two main points: in the event we need to have a placeholder for funding and secondly it allows us to work within the administrative structure, to meet people's needs effectively. And the other is just the uncertainty. I mean this week looks good, last week the health officer told me that the week previously was our greatest number of cases throughout the whole COVID experience, so I guess we don't know what next week will look like or two weeks from now but I think as long as the state continues to extend their declaration, its likely we'll do the same."
Mr. Vanderberg says the extension will have no impact on where Ottawa County is right now in terms of reopening for business. But he reminds the residents of Ottawa County that working together will help to improve life overall amid the ongoing pandemic.
"We hope that people just adopt the golden rule, you know where the mask for the other person if not for yourself. We really want to look out for each other and keep each other safe as much as possible."
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