By Joshua Huff, sports editor
TRUSSVILLE – Trussville Mayor Buddy Choat announced on Wednesday that he has no plans at this time of asking the city council to consider a shelter in place ordinance.
This follows the Birmingham City Council passing a city-wide shelter in place ordinance on Tuesday afternoon, which will remain in effect until April 3.
Birmingham’s shelter in place ordinance does not affect Trussville. The map on the left of this page shows those locations impacted by the ordinance within the Birmingham city limits.
“We will continue to work along side of the Jefferson County Health Department and State Health Department officials as to their orders and recommendations,” Choat wrote on Facebook. “I have no plans at this time to ask the city council to consider a ‘shelter in place’ ordinance. I do however appreciate everyone’s efforts and understanding of the situation that we are facing. Let’s all continue to do our part in the battle to end this crisis sooner than later. Remember to support our local businesses as they too are fighting a difficult battle.”
The city of Birmingham’s shelter in place was enacted on Tuesday after the city council approved the order with a 9-0 vote.
The order is in response to the increasing number of those testing positive for the coronavirus in the Jefferson County area.
“I want to thank the council for working with me to keep the people who work and live in the city of Birmingham safe,” Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin said. “Shelter in place simply means to stay at home. Don’t go out unless getting food, gas or other essentials. Delivery’s will still be made, services will be delivered and the distribution system to our grocery stores, pharmacies other essential businesses will be uninterrupted.”
The 24-hour curfew is to begin immediately and will run until midnight of April 3 unless emergency conditions dictate the extension of the order.
The curfew applies to people living within the city of Birmingham.
The order is meant to deter people from leaving their residence for non-essential purposes. However, the order will not prevent people from leaving their homes.
People will be allowed to lawfully leave their residence while the ordnance is active within the first 24 hours to access workplaces to gather belongings and address administrative needs, to engage in essential activities like grocery shopping, to engage in outdoor activities that allow for social distancing, to provide services that are essential and to care for or support a friend, family member or pet.
Violating the ordinance could hold a penalty of up to 30 days in jail and/or paying a fine of up to $500.
Following Birmingham’s decision to lock down the city for all but essential purposes, Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey announced that she has no plans to issue a statewide shelter in place order.
Citing economic concerns, Ivey signaled a reluctance to join states including New York, California, Illinois and Louisiana that have ordered residents to stay home unless going out for food, medicine and essential services.
“We have no current plans to do so,” Ivey told reporters in a conference call. “We have seen other states doing that … but we are not California. We are not New York. We are not even Louisiana. My priority is to keep the Alabama economy going as much as possible while we take extraordinary measures to keep everyone healthy and safe.”