Greene Co Medical Center CEO Tracy Warner (left) presenting to Supervisors
The Greene County Board of Supervisors spent the majority of Monday’s meeting discussing whether or not to implement a countywide mask mandate to prevent further spread of COVID-19.
Greene County Public Health Director Becky Wolf began the discussion as she announced the County’s positivity rate for the previous 14 days was 18.1% on Monday with 305 cases. She said the infection of the virus is everywhere in the County. Greene County Medical Center CEO Tracy Warner talked about staffing becoming an issue.
“I will tell you today, those seven individuals that were symptomatic over the weekend, that have not worked. We have one emergency department nurse and one emergency department tech, both of those individuals are not able to work today. I guess my message here today – and has been for several weeks – is that, if the hospital staff is sick, then they can’t take care of you and your families when they are sick.”
Greene County School District Superintendent Tim Christensen echoed Warner’s concern with staffing.
“Substitute teachers and substitute associates would be our biggest issue. Last week at the elementary (school) there was a day that I think there was 20-plus staff members gone. It’s all hands on deck. It’s an extreme challenge.”
Greene County Emergency Management Coordinator Dennis Morlan and Greene County Board of Health member Dr. Keith Van Beek spoke in favor of a mask mandate. Following the discussion, the Board is planning to hold a special session on Thursday morning at 9am to consider passing a resolution for a countywide mask mandate.
In other business, the Board appointed Jeff Lamoureux to the County Veterans Affairs Commission, and they approved the transfer of $4,521 from the General fund, $1,820 from the interest of the capital project fund, and $67,600 from the tax increment financing special revenue fund for the payment to the debt service fund. Finally, the Board conducted the canvass of votes from last Tuesday’s general election and none of the results changed from the unofficial results.