From The Trussville Tribune staff reports
CENTER POINT — The mayor of Center Point signed a proclamation regarding the COVID-19 response plan for the city, on Friday, March 20, 2020.
The entire proclamation can be read below. It includes plans for City Hall, the Senior Center, the Center Point Community Center, the Center Point Sports Complex, the Center Point Public Library (opening postponed), and all City of Center Point parks.
The city plans to continue its regular city council meetings, but until further notice, Mayor Tom Henderson said council members will be spread out to keep a safe distance and the number of people allowed in the council chambers will be limited. Furthermore, there will be temperature checks for anyone trying to enter council chambers. The next meeting will be on Thursday, March 26. Pre-council begins at 6:45 p.m.
PROCLAMATION OF THE MAYOR
REGARDING THE INITIAL COVID-19 RESPONSE PLAN
FOR THE CITY OF CENTER POINT, ALABAMA
WHEREAS, pursuant to Section 11-47-130 et seq. of the Code of Alabama 1975, “[a]ll cities and towns in this state shall have the power to maintain the health and cleanliness of the city or town within its limits and within the police jurisdiction thereof;”
WHEREAS, pursuant to Section 11-43-81 of the Code of Alabama 1975, the Mayor has “general supervision and control over all other officers and affairs of the city or town, except as otherwise provided [by law];”
WHEREAS, on March 9, 2020, the Director of the World Health Organization described the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (“COVID-19”) outbreak as a pandemic;
WHEREAS, on March 13, 2020, the President of the United States issued a “Proclamation on Declaring a National Emergency Concerning the Novel Coronavirus Disease Outbreak;”
WHEREAS, on March 13, 2020, the Governor of the State of Alabama issued a proclamation of a state of public health emergency related to the COVID-19 outbreak;
WHEREAS, COVID-19 has been designated by the Alabama Department of Public Health to be a disease of epidemic potential, a threat to the health and welfare of the public, or otherwise of public health importance;
WHEREAS, COVID-19 is a dangerous disease that should be immediately isolated and reported in the interest of public health;
WHEREAS, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has noted that COVID-19 (SARS-Coronavirus-2) is highly infectious and deadly for certain vulnerable groups;
WHEREAS, the Alabama Department of Public Health has noted that COVID-19 is highly infectious and deadly;
WHEREAS, a rapidly growing number of cases of COVID-19 is being detected in Jefferson County, and there are certain to be many more undetected cases in the county and surrounding areas;
WHEREAS, scientific analysis has found that COVID-19 has case fatality rates varying from 1.0% of cases to as high as 2.3%;
WHEREAS, Section 22-3-5(2) of the Code of Alabama 1975 authorizes the County Health Officer to “institute immediate measures to prevent the spread of such [notifiable] disease” and the County Health Officer having examined the evidence issued an official order on March 16, 2020, updated by a second order on March 19, 2020, both attached hereto as EXHIBIT A (the “JCDH Orders”);
WHEREAS, on March 17, 2020, the State Health Officer issued a similar order for counties surrounding Jefferson, including Blount, Saint Clair, Shelby, Tuscaloosa, and Walker Counties,
WHEREAS, on March 19, 2020, the State Health Officer entered an order providing that the Jefferson and Mobile County Health Officers are authorized, after consultation with the State Health Officer, to implement more stringent measures as local circumstances require;
WHEREAS, the goal of this Center Point initial response plan is to institute a protocol to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in the City of Center Point, Alabama, particularly through the use of its public facilities;
WHEREAS, this plan is based on the JCDH Order and recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the CDC has announced that containment of the virus is no longer possible and that community spread is occurring; and
WHEREAS, this plan may be updated as new information is disseminated.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, Thomas E. Henderson, Mayor of the City of Center Point, Alabama (“City”), proclaim and direct the following:
- Pursuant to the JCDH Order the Center Point Senior Center closed as of Tuesday, March 17, 2020 and will remain closed until further notice. Efforts are being made to provide lunches on a drive-through basis and delivery of lunches for those who cannot get to the Senior Center. Call (205) 854-4472 for more information.
- Effective immediately, the Center Point Community Center, the Center Point Sports Complex, the Center Point Public Library (opening postponed), and all City of Center Point parks (Henderson/Civitan Park, Reed-Harvey Park and Center Point Satellite Courthouse Park) and athletic fields are closed to the public, pending further notice. All Center Point Youth Sports programs are cancelled, pending further notice.
- Effective immediately, the Center Point City Hall will have no foot traffic. No citizen will be allowed in City Hall without a pre-established appointment and subject to the guidelines of this Proclamation. Where possible, business should be conducted by telephone (205) 854-4460, by email, online, by mail, by, or by means other than in-person contact. Those who wish to get business license may call (205) 854-4460, option 2. Those who wish to obtain permits or schedule inspections may call (205) 854-4617, option 3. An in-person appointment will only be permitted when one of the foregoing options for contact are not feasible.
This does not apply to public meetings, which area addressed separately below.
- Effective immediately, the following persons shall not enter or remain upon any City of Center Point-owned facility or property:
- Persons who have been, within the last fourteen (14) days, in any area identified by the CDC as subject to a Warning Level 3 Travel Health Notice or as a place of “Widespread sustained spread and restrictions on travel to the United States,” see https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/notices (This list may be updated from time to time);
- Persons who reside or have had close contact with someone who has been in one of the areas listed above within the last fourteen (14) days;
- Persons who have been asked to self-quarantine by any doctor, hospital, health agency, or their employer;
- Persons who have been diagnosed with or have had contact with anyone who has been diagnosed with COVID-19; and
- Persons who have a fever (100.4°F/38°C or higher), cough, have trouble breathing, or are obviously unwell, and have not been free of those conditions for forty-eight (48) hours. Any person seeking to enter a meeting must have their temperature taken and meet the above requirements to enter.
Anyone attempting entry in violation of these protocols will be denied entry. Any person who has business to conduct at Center Point City Hall but is unable to appear because of the restrictions above should contact the appropriate department by telephone at (205) 854-4460. Citizens should also refer to the City of Center Point’s website at www.thecityofcenterpoint.org.
- I have been notified that the City Council meetings scheduled for Thursday, March 26, 2020 and April 9, 2020, at 7:00 p.m., will be held as scheduled. The Zoning Board of Adjustments meeting scheduled for Monday, March 23, 2020 has been cancelled.
- Effective immediately, the following persons shall not physically attend any meeting of the Center Point City Council, Center Point Planning and Zoning Commission, or the Center Point Library Board:
- Persons who have been, within the last fourteen (14) days, in any area identified by the CDC as subject to a Level 3 Travel Health Notice or as a place of “Widespread sustained spread and restrictions on travel to the United States,” see https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/index.html (This list may be updated from time to time);
- Persons who reside or have had close contact with someone who has been in one of the areas listed above within the last fourteen (14) days;
- Persons who have been asked to self-quarantine by any doctor, hospital, health agency, or their employer;
- Persons who have been diagnosed with or have had contact with anyone who has been diagnosed with COVID-19 or the flu; and
- Persons who have a fever (100.4°F/38°C or higher), cough, have trouble breathing, or are obviously unwell, and have not been free of those conditions for forty-eight (48) hours. Any person seeking to enter a meeting must have their temperature taken and meet the above requirements to enter.
Anyone attempting entry in violation of these protocols will be denied entry.
The CDC has explained that large gatherings can contribute to the spread of COVID-19 in the United States. Accordingly, while citizens have a right to attend these meetings, the City of Center Point discourages attendance during this state of emergency. Additionally, all meetings shall comply with orders of the Alabama Department of Public Health and the JCDH Orders to maintain a consistent six-foot distance between persons and limit the size of public gatherings. As a result, the number of persons able to attend meetings will be more limited than usual. The City will post its meeting agenda online and will make the minutes of the meetings available as soon as possible.
Please be mindful that our public servants will likely also be affected by the present State of Emergency, and therefore, their availability may be further limited according to their personal situations. We will make every effort to meet citizen needs as they arise.
DONE this the 20th day of March, 2020.