Local officials held a Zoom meeting Thursday night to provide the community with an update on various topics related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The panel included Judge-Executive Al Mattingly, State Representative Suzanne Miles, Mayor Tom Watson, Green River District Health Department Director Clay Horton, Owensboro Health Chief Medical Officer Francis DuFrayne and Emergency Management Agency Director Andy Ball.
Mattingly reported that Daviess County Fiscal Court was “business as usual” now that most offices in the courthouse have reopened and all county services such as solid waste, animal control and the road department are operational. Although the county clerk’s office is now open for automotive-related services, Mattingly urged viewers to take advantage of mail-in services that are available.
Miles gave a brief update on recent local happenings, including the KY 81 bridge closure and the announcement of money being distributed by Impact 100. She also expressed some concern about CARES Act funding — noting that only $300 million of the $1.6 billion allotted to the state is going directly to cities and counties — and questioned how the remainder would be distributed.
Watson said “most things at the City are moving very well” and praised the police, fire, and public works departments for their efforts. The mayor said he recently sat in on a Zoom call with Deputy Secretary of the Kentucky Education and Workforce Development Josh Benton, where he received updates on unemployment.
Watson learned Benton’s department faces struggles such as working with 30-year-old software, training temporary staff at an accelerated rate, and having to hand process unemployment applications if any one of 27 variables involved in the approval process are found.
At the Health Department, Horton reports COVID-19 operations have transitioned from “responding” to “recovery mode” as coronavirus cases continue slow and more places begin to reopen.
After two days of retail businesses being open, the Health Department is not aware of any complaints about businesses not following their guidelines. With restaurants reopening to in-person traffic on Friday, Horton specifically addressed buffet-style businesses.
“The guidance discourages restaurants from continuing buffet service or salad bar service, however we know that [for] some businesses that may not be a possibility,” he said. “In those cases, what we’re requiring is that those restaurants have employees (wearing protective equipment) be the ones who actually serve the food.”
Health inspectors will be out making sure businesses are ready to reopen.
DuFrayne reported Owensboro Health has nine confirmed COVID-19 patients in different stages of recovery and three additional patients with COVID-like systems whose test results have not come back yet.
Owensboro Health Healthpark will reopen on June 1st, but the process will happen in phases. DuFrayne says details of the Healthpark reopening can be found on their website or Facebook page.
Ball finished the panel by acknowledging volunteers from Daviess County Search & Rescue and Daviess County Community Emergency Response Team for assisting with hand sanitizer mixing and distribution efforts.
Local distilleries will be selling hand sanitizer beginning next week, however Ball discouraged the public from contacting distilleries directly and said purchasing information could be found on the DCEMA Facebook page.
The next Daviess County COVID-19 Zoom meeting is expected to take place on May 28 at 6 p.m.
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