Dunn County Board declares a state of emergency in Dunn County due to COVID-19
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By LeAnn R. Ralph
MENOMONIE — The Dunn County Board of Supervisors has declared a state of emergency in Dunn County for a period not to exceed six months because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Since COVID-19, which is a respiratory disease caused by a novel coronavirus that began infecting people in December of 2019, has spread across the nation and has affected nearby communities, declaring a state of emergency is “expedient,” said Paul Miller, Dunn County manager, at the county’s board’s regular monthly meeting March 18.
Declaring a state of emergency gives authority to the county manager and the chair of the county board to take appropriate steps regarding county services and county employees to protect the health and well-being, safety and security of the public and of the county’s employees, Miller said.
The county board meeting was conducted with a shorter agenda than usual. Four county board supervisors were absent from the meeting, and six county board supervisors participated in the meeting by speaker phone. The remaining 18 supervisors were spread out among the tables that normally seat all 29 members of the county board to maintain enough space between them for “social distancing.” One county board position is currently vacant.
The chairs set up for any members of the public who attended the meeting also were spread out across the room to maintain the recommended six feet between people for social distancing.
Governor Tony Evers declared a health emergency in response to COVID-19 March 12 following the World Health Organization’s declaration of a public health emergency of international concern and the United States Department of Health and Human Services declaration of a public health emergency.
On March 17, Governor Evers directed the Wisconsin Department of Health Services to issue an order limiting gatherings to less than 10 people to help slow the spread of COVID-19.
Units of government are exempt from the order limiting gatherings to less than 10 people.
Every county in Wisconsin is considering declaring a state of emergency or has already declared a state of emergency, Miller said.
In addition to authorizing the county manager and county board chair to take appropriate steps regarding county services and county employees, declaring a state of emergency will also be necessary for the disbursement of any money related to dealing with the pandemic from the state or federal government, he said.
Miller said he participated in a conference call with 63 county managers from Wisconsin, and they were “strongly advised” to declare a state of emergency.
Time limit
Diane Morehouse, county board supervisor from Menomonie, said she was curious and “a bit concerned” about the six-month duration of the state of emergency.
The Wisconsin Counties Association is recommending 60 days for a state of emergency, and Eau Claire County and the City of Eau Claire have declared a state of emergency for 30 days, she said.
Nick Lange, Dunn County corporation counsel, said he had written the resolution declaring a state of emergency for a period not to exceed six months so the county board would not have to keep coming back to renew the state of emergency over and over again, if needed.
The Dunn County Board can rescind the resolution at any time, and the county board can also amend the resolution at any time, he said.
“Thirty days did not seem long enough, and then you’d have to come back and extend it,” Lange said.
David Bartlett, chair of the Dunn County Board, asked that all votes at the March 18 meeting be taken by roll call by the county clerk.
All 24 county board supervisors participating in the meeting voted in favor of the resolution.
Resolution
According to the resolution, the county manager has the ability under the state of emergency in Dunn County, “to close or limit access to Dunn County government facilities as necessary; to implement strategic staffing changes to ensure adequate numbers of healthy staff are in place to carry out necessary and critical services; to waive administrative policies regarding administrative policies regarding health insurance and assist in personnel expenses as a result of implementing staffing changes; and to make temporary changes and exceptions to the Dunn County Employee Handbook, Human Resources policies, and any other administrative policy or guideline.”
The resolution also states, “the County Manager, in consultation with the Public Health Director and County Board Chair, is directed to strategically implement necessary policies to ensure the safety and health of the Dunn County staff, residents and those traveling throughout the county for a period not to exceed six months from the date of this resolution.”
Telecommuting
Dunn County has about 525 employees, and before the COVID-19 pandemic, 200 of those employees were already telecommuting, Miller said.
In recent days, more county employees who can do so without compromising their work also have begun telecommuting to help maintain social distancing, he said.
For example, the human resources department has five employees, and two of them are now working in the office while the other three are working remotely, Miller said.
If any of the county board supervisors are asked whether the county will close the county offices, the answer is — the county is the administrative arm of the state government, and the county offices will remain open until the state says county offices are closed, he said.
Until the state says Dunn County must close the county offices, “we must remain open,” Miller said, noting that the county is operating with a “skeleton crew” on site.
“This thing is changing day to day, sometimes hour to hour,” he said.
Other steps
Anyone who has been to the Dunn County Government Center on U.S. Highway 12 East in Menomonie lately has noticed the signs on the doors.
One sign says “STOP” — if you feel ill, go home, Miller said.
County residents also are asked to only bring themselves to the county offices to do their business and not to bring other unnecessary people with them, he said.
Programs for vulnerable populations have been discontinued as well. Tax preparation for the elderly through the Aging and Disability Resource Center (ADRC) has been suspended, for example, Miller said.
The county manager, the Dunn County health officer, the Dunn County sheriff and the emergency management coordinator have been meeting regularly, too, he said.
“It’s all COVID-19, all the time,” Miller said.
In addition, the “communication tree” is in place, and the emergency operations center is ready to open if necessary, he said.
“So far, I think we are staying on pace,” Miller said, noting that Dunn County is not behind other counties.
Dunn County is not ahead of other counties, he added, but the county is not behind, either.
Other business
• Approved on a second reading an ordinance amending Chapter 13 of the Dunn County comprehensive zoning ordinance regarding telecommunications tower siting and livestock siting regulations. The amended ordinance changes telecommunications towers from a special exception to a permitted use and clarifies the application procedure for livestock facilities, said Tom Quinn, chair of the Planning, Resources & Development Committee.
• Approved budget adjustments of $2.9 million to account for projects started in 2019 that will not be completed until this year. The budget adjustments include revenue from the sale of the Government Center on Wilson Avenue to the City of Menomonie.
• Authorized the sale of the house behind the Dunn County Government Center on U.S. Highway 12 East. The house was at one time the home of the administrator of the Dunn County Health Care Center and more recently was used to house the offices of the Criminal Justice Collaborating Council. The county looked for other uses for the property but could not find any, Miller said. The terms of the sale include removal of the house from the site. The money from the sale will be used to restore the site, he said.
• Approved a resolution declaring April 20 through April 24 as “Work Zone Awareness Week.”
