Blue Ridge declares state of emergency after severe storms hit the area

Community, News
severe storms
BLUE RIDGE, Ga – City of Blue Ridge declared a state of emergency because of the severe storm damage to the city’s infrastructure and water service.
The mayor and members of the city council issued the declaration on March 26 and will remain in effect until April 26, 202 unless extended or repealed.  Mayor and mayor pro-tem have the responsibility to seek the best prices for storm damage repairs and are authorized to approve up to $350,000 in expenditures.
Bullpen Gap

Bullpen Gap experienced excessive damage from the severe storms

Crews are out working on roads following Thursday’s storms which resulted in flooding and a water main break caused schools to move online today.
The heavy rains resulted in some downed trees and power outages. Bullpen Gap and Boss T. Mull Memorial Bridge in McCaysville reported the most damage. Bullpen Gap is where the water main break occurred.
A River Flood Warning is in effect until 9:43 a.m. this morning, March 26.
Thunderstorms are likely to return on Saturday. From the National Weather Service:

“Thunderstorms and heavy rain are likely over portions of north and central Georgia on Saturday and Sunday, with a few strong to severe storms possible each day. Localized flash flooding is also possible across far north Georgia where the heaviest rain occurs.

There is also a chance of thunderstorms across portions of north and central Georgia on Wednesday and Wednesday night.”

severe storms

severe storms

severe storms

Fannin declares state of emergency after Zeta

Feature News, Featured, Featured News, Featured Stories, News
state of emergency

FANNIN COUNTY, Ga – Fannin County Commission Chairman issued a local state of emergency declaration following tropical storm Zeta.

The declaration cites Zeta as an event of critical significance that occurred on Thursday, October 29, 2020. The emergency requires “extraordinary and immediate corrective acts for the protection of the health and safety of the citizens.”

Fannin County Emergency Management Agency (EMA) is activating the emergency operations plan. Also, the emergency management ordinances adopted by the county are activated.

Since Helton couldn’t reach the EMA center to physically issue the declaration, County Attorney signed the document for him with express permission.

County Operations

The courthouse is closed today, but early voting is still taking place on the third floor.

City Hall is closed and the special called meeting tonight is canceled.

Kemp opens bars and renews state of emergency

State & National
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ATLANTA, Ga – Gov. Brian Kemp decided to continue the state of emergency and stay at home order for the elderly and at-risk individuals through July 12. However, the governor also announced the reopening of bars, amusement parks, night clubs, professional sports, and overnight summer camps.

Music venues must remain closed.

Kemp issued timelines for the lifting of each restriction.

May 31 Openings

  • Overnight Summer Camps

June 1 Openings

  • Gatherings of 25 people will be allowed – if the area meets space requirements
  • Bars
  • Night Clubs
  • Professional Sports
  • Amateur Sports

June 12 Openings

  • Amusement Parks
  • Water Parks

Georgia will not mandate citizens to wear masks, but Kemp highly encourages everyone to wear masks in crowded areas and public places.

66 percent of nursing home residents have been tested for COVID-19. On June 1, the Department of Public Health will move to once-daily updates of coronavirus numbers.

Commissioners extend state of emergency to April 30, address tourism

Board of Commissioners, News
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FANNIN COUNTY, Ga – In a called meeting on April 8, the Fannin County Board of Commissioners unanimously approved extending the state of emergency until April 30, 2020, at 11:59 p.m.

Fannin County was one of the first North Georgia counties to declare a state of emergency on March 25. Originally, the order ended on April 13, but with Gov. Kemp’s extension of the statewide emergency declaration, the commissioners decided to follow suit.

The Regional Health Board and Fannin Regional also urged the commissioners to extend the state of emergency as the best method to ensure the health of citizens.

Chairman Stan Helton addressed some emergency service-related data since Fannin enacted its declaration. In-service 911 calls have dropped by 40 percent since March 25, but administrative calls have increased exponentially because citizens want more information about the state of emergency and shelter in place orders.

Rental occupancy has fallen for March and April with most of the decline occurring in the last two weeks. Overnight bookings for cabin rentals are reportedly down 70 percent from the 2019 numbers. However, the June and July booking numbers are normal for that time of year.

“A big concern has been that as the tourism activity has declined that this activity would be replaced by folks that are coming up here from high-risk areas to shelter in Fannin County,” said Helton.

Helton is one of the 12 commissioners who signed a letter to the governor to close state parks. Fannin Board of Commissioners also closed tourism rentals in its original state of emergency declaration, but the governor overturned many local ordinances in his April 2 shelter in place order that didn’t fall into accordance with his declaration. However, on April 8, Kemp issued a suspension of short-term rentals in effect until April 30.

Sheriff Kirby spoke with Gov. Kemp’s Chief of Staff about the influx of people to the mountains.

“I can tell you it’s been a real fight keeping the beat crowds back up here because everyone is wanting to come to the mountains and hide and get away,” explained Sheriff Dane Kirby. “If we were to lift [the state of emergency], I don’t think it would have a positive effect.

Kirby also relayed that he spoke with Kemp’s Chief of Staff about restricting people from visiting the area just for recreation purposes.

“What we need is we need some avenue to stop people from coming here just on day trips,” said Kirby. “I think the steps that they took were a portion of what we asked for,” said Kirby. He also hopes a more detailed plan might be presented to the public later in the week.

“I want everyone who is dependent on the tourism and rental business to understand that I believe we all understand this is impacting every one of them. But, at this point, I don’t see how we could do anything to lift the emergency ordinance and continue on the trajectory we are on now,” stated Post One Earl Johnson.

He also referenced the decrease in 911 calls and protecting first responders, law enforcement, and health care workers under the existing order.

Post Two Glenn Patterson affirmed everyone’s sentiments, “I concur with what you just said as far as citizens well-being that would be relevant for us to extend at this time knowing the data we see. We don’t want to start it too early and then shut it back down again.

“We need all our citizens to work together for a little longer and hopefully, everyone realizes the real enemy is not tourist, people from any other part of the state. The real enemy is this coronavirus. As long as everyone has that in mind, I think we can all work together,” asserted Helton.

The State of Emergency will last through April 30 to expire at 11:59 p.m., unless otherwise extended or rescinded.

Other Business

The commissioners also voted to vacate the scheduled April 14 meeting and will meet again on Tuesday, April 28.

The purchase of three new law enforcement vehicles was also approved for approximately $99,000 as well as the acquisition of accompanying equipment for $20,232. The expenses were in the budget for the fiscal year.

“They are in our budget. I’ll have to move about $6,000 from one line to another because the price of cars has gone up. But it’s all there, it will just have to be moved,” explained Kirby.

The vehicle and equipment purchases were unanimously approved.

Fannin County declares a state of emergency

Board of Commissioners, News
emergency

FANNIN COUNTY, Ga – The Fannin County Board of Commissioners declared a public health state of emergency on Wednesday, March 25, the ordinance included a shelter in place recommendation and placed restrictions on public gatherings, businesses, and tourism.

The state of emergency will go into effect following the 4 p.m. and will remain in effect until Monday, April 13 at 11:59 p.m., unless otherwise rescinded.

Nonessential businesses are encouraged to close, work remotely, or practice social distancing within the workplace.

Essential businesses were listed as: healthcare facilities, grocery stores, farms, farmer’s markets, produce stands, food banks, convenience stores, and any similar businesses that sell food or household consumer goods, news media, gas stations, financial institutions, hardware stores, plumbers, electricians, exterminators, shipping and postage businesses, educational institutions, laundromats, and restaurants, businesses that ship groceries, home care, retirement facilities, childcare, construction services, professional services, and utilities. Restaurants can only offer carry out, curbside, or drive-thru services.

No public gathering – organized group larger than ten – may convene on any county-owned or controlled property. This does not include sidewalks or pedestrian areas in parks, except for organized exercise.

All businesses that cater to tourists are prohibited under this ordinance.

Any resident of Georgia that is subject to a stay at home order and not physically present in Fannin County may not be allowed to enter the county during the declaration. However, this does not affect traffic through the county on state and federal roads and doesn’t voluntarily stop in county limits.

All Tourism rentals – short-term rentals, hotels, bed and breakfasts –  are declared non-essential business and must stop operation, except basic functions. Anyone currently staying in a rental may finish their stay but can’t extend it. All other customers must vacate their rental within 48 hours of the ordinance going into effect.

Tourism rentals can’t accept reservations during the declaration and should make potential customers aware that the state of emergency could be extended.

These businesses can rent to Fannin County residents, who certify that the rental is needed to comply with any order issued by the President of the United States, Governor of the State of Georgia, or agencies and departments. Also, the potential renter must make it clear that the rental property will only house residents of Fannin County.

Rentals that serve healthcare or public safety officials and immediate family who are working in Fannin or adjacent counties are exempt from this order.

Any violation of this ordinance may be punishable by the termination of a business license/ tax certificate. An aggrieved business or party may appeal on a case by case basis, but it will not stay the order.

A curfew wasn’t enacted, but the Director of Emergency Services could still implement one at some point in the future. To enact a curfew, the commissioners would need 24 hour’s notice, and the public would need to be noticed 12 hours in advance over the NIXLE system. It would be between the hours of 9 p.m. and 5 a.m.

Violation of any part of the ordinance will result in a $1,000 fine.

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City of Blue Ridge declares State of Emergency

Community, News

Blue Ridge, Ga. – Blue Ridge City Council passed an official State of Emergency for all citizens and business owners within city limits.

After discussions with several local and state agencies and mounting pressure from the public, an emergency special meeting was called and held via teleconference at 3:00 p.m. on Wednesday, March 25.

The ordinance, which passed unanimously will take effect at noon on Thursday, March 26 and expire on April 15, 2020. The ordinance does allow for city council to extend the time period of the ordinance, if deemed necessary, beyond the April 15 expiration date.

A curfew will be placed within the city limits, with exception being given to essential personnel, beginning at 9:00 p.m. on Thursday, March 26. 

“A curfew is imposed from 9:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m. effective 9:00 p.m. March 26, 2020. Residents, unless “exempt individuals” as defined herein, shall remain in their homes or on their property during the curfew period.”

The ordinance also has a shelter in place provision. Persons are allowed to leave residences for essential activities, such as obtaining supplies, and for essential business. You do not have to remain indoors during this time, but will need to remain on your property, private properties, or public properties that are allowed to remain open by municipalities.

Among activities that were addressed were the gathering of people on city owned property.

For the duration of the declared emergency, there shall be no public gatherings on any property owned or controlled by the City.  To avoid confusion, the following definitions shall apply under this Section: a “public gathering” shall mean the organized gathering or assembly of more than five or more persons at a specific location; “property owned or controlled by the City shall include any park, public square, public space, playground, recreational area, or similar place of public gathering, but nothing herein shall prohibit individuals or families from using sidewalks or designated pedestrian areas of parks for walking or other exercise if they are not participating in an organized gathering.”

The ordinance also calls for a closure to all non-essential business except for “Minimum Basic Operations”.

Minimum Basic Operations are defined as: “(a) the minimum necessary activities to maintain the value of the business’s inventory, ensure security, process payroll and employee benefits, or for related functions; and (b) the minimum necessary activities to facilitate employees of the business being able to continue to work remotely from their residences.”

Restaurants may operate, but must close all dine-in areas and “may continue preparing and offering food to customers via delivery, drive-through or take-out services” only.  The ordinance further states: “Any restaurant that is currently licensed to sell beer and wine for on-premises consumption, such business shall be authorized to sell unopened bottles, cans, or other sealed containers of beer or wine for take-out consumption off-premises.”

The City encourages essential businesses to remain open. These businesses must follow the social distancing rule of 6 feet to the greatest extent possible and put signage on storefronts reminding customers of the social distancing rules.

Essential businesses may not allow more than 10 people in their building at a time if social distancing is unable to be maintained.

The ordinance defines “essential businesses” as:

  • Healthcare Operations and essential infrastructure;
  • Grocery stores, farmers’ markets, farm and produce stands, supermarkets, food banks, convenience stores, and other establishments engaged in the retail sale of canned food, dry goods, fresh fruits and vegetables, pet supply, fresh meats, fish, and poultry, and any other household consumer products (such as cleaning and personal care products). This includes stores that sell groceries and also sell other non-grocery products, and products necessary to maintaining the safety, sanitation, and essential operation of residences;
  • Food cultivation, including farming, livestock, and fishing;
  • Businesses that provide food, shelter, and social services, and other necessities of life for economically disadvantaged or otherwise needy individuals;
  • Newspapers, television, radio, and other media services;
  • Gas stations and auto-supply, auto repair, and related facilities;
  • Banks and related financial institutions and pawn shops;
  • Hardware stores;
  • Plumbers, electricians, exterminators, and other service providers who provide services that are necessary to maintaining the safety, sanitation, and essential operation of residences and Essential Businesses;
  • Businesses providing mailing and shipping services, including post office boxes; 
  • Educational institutions-including public and private K-12 schools, colleges, and universities-for purposes of facilitating distance learning or performing  essential functions, provided that social distancing of six-feet per person is maintained to the greatest extent possible;
  • Laundromats, dry cleaners, and laundry service providers;
  • Restaurants and other facilities that prepare and serve food, but only for delivery or carry out. Cafeterias in hospitals, nursing homes, or similar facilities shall not be subject to the restrictions contained in this Ordinance.
  • Businesses that supply products needed for people to work from home;
  • Businesses that supply other essential businesses with the support or supplies necessary to operate;
  • Businesses that ship or deliver groceries, food, goods or services directly to residences;
  • Home-based care for seniors, adults, or children;
  • Residential facilities and shelters for seniors, adults, and children;
  • Professional services, such as legal, or accounting services:
  • Childcare facilities;
  • Construction services; and
  • Utility, water, sewer, gas, electrical, oil refining, roads and highways, railroads, public transportation, taxi/rideshare, solid waste collection and removal, internet, and telecommunications systems (including the provision of essential global, national, and local infrastructure for computing services, business infrastructure, communications, and web-based services).

Lastly, the ordinance states that all vacation rentals, including hotels and motels in city limits, are to be declared non-essential, stating: “Any customer currently occupying a Tourism Rental under a paid reservation tendered prior to March 23, 2020 shall be allowed to complete the original reservation period but shall not be allowed to extend.   All other customers must vacate the Tourism Rental within forty-eight (48) hours of this Ordinance going into effect.”

Violation of any term or provision of the Ordinance is punishable by a civil fine of $1,000 per violation.

The Fannin County Board of Commissioners are meeting at 4 p.m. today and are expected to implement a State of Emergency for Fannin County as a whole.

 

Click here to read about the City of McCaysville declaration of a State of Emergency

Commissioners discuss declaring state of emergency

Board of Commissioners, News
state of emergency

FANNIN COUNTY, Ga – Fannin Board of Commissioners called an emergency meeting on Tuesday, March 24 to discuss declaring a COVID-19 related state of emergency.

If the county declares a state of emergency, then it has the power to determine essential and non-essential businesses, restrict lodging providers, and issue a shelter in place directive.

The restriction of lodging was a point of discussion due to the influx of out-of-towners into Fannin County since the COVID-19 outbreak in Georgia. Currently, the only restricted areas for lodging under 10 individuals in Georgia are Jekyll, St. Simmons, and Tybee Islands, according to County Attorney Lynn Doss. However, counties can close rentals that house more than 10 because it violates the nationwide mandate.

Doss explained the ins and outs of a state of emergency.

Doss said, “You have to have some lodging available if you’re going to have commercial traffic through here. I’m talking about the truckers coming in that might need to spend the night that brought in stuff to the hospital. I’m talking about utility workers that might be here. In a pandemic, it’s not like a tornado, where trees went down, but you still have to have lodging available.”

Post Two Glenn Patterson asked if individuals like that could show their license to prove why they’re in the community. This could hopefully be a way to identify tourists coming into the community.

“We cannot restrict travel,” stated Doss. “I’ve talked to no one who understands how a county government is restricting travel on a federal highway.”

The commissioner’s decision applies to the unincorporated areas of the county only, not Blue Ridge, McCaysville, or the schools.

“I’ve noticed since Friday is a huge number of out of town plates. State plates, but southern counties, neighboring counties,” stated Post One Earl Johnson. “I know my concern is all the people, they may be fleeing from these larger cities to maybe get to a less populated area. They’re still using our facilities, our grocery stores, EMS, and police force. It’s a sticky situation in my opinion. My idea would be how to try and convince people to stay where they’re at like we’ve all been instructed to do.”

He also asked how the county could enforce the declaration and stop people from renting out homes during this time.

The county has approximately 1,400 rental cabins and 4,500+ second homes, so if the county closes all of those to rentals, the owners can still come in to occupy it. However, it will be difficult to determine if the people in these cabins and homes are the owners or renters at first. The county wouldn’t know for certain until next quarter when the rental tax return comes out.

Restricting rentals all goes back to the property owners because they are ultimately responsible, not the property management company.

“I hate it’s going to hurt our economy, but the opposite of that is to save lives,” Patterson articulated.

Fannin County’s health system can’t support an extra 4,000 or more people according to Doss. She also said that the hospital could handle one to three cases without a ventilator. The Fannin Board of Health wants everyone to “actively discourage travel” at this time.

Chairman Stan Helton asked how the commission can create an easy-to-understand document that everyone can access and abide by.

“Right now, we just don’t know what people are bringing into the cabin or maybe have brought. You can talk about rental cabins; well you have folks that probably may come up here and think it’s a good time to buy property up here. They’re anticipating the market to go the other direction. How do you address that as well? I don’t have an answer. I guess I just have questions, said Helton. “From what I’ve heard at this point, if we can do something that’s very effective for two weeks, that might not eliminate what can get in here, but it may keep the numbers down.”

Tourist activities could be prohibited during a state of emergency. Peak tourism season is around June and judging from President Trump’s recent statement’s the country will be back to work by that time.

“People live in this county and work in Atlanta. Obviously, we can’t disturb that. Do we have any thoughts about asking people to not vacation at other places that run the potential to bring something back here? I don’t think we should fine people for something like that,” inquired Helton.

Doss replied that if a shelter in place is issued then people shouldn’t be visiting other cities unless it’s an emergency like a family member being taken to Emory in Atlanta.

“If we can’t educate our kids right now, we can’t worship however, we choose to, I think it’s very reasonable we cut out our tourist right now,” declared Johnson.

Under a state of emergency, the ultimate authority rests with EMA/EMS Director Robert Graham. It doesn’t supersede the daily operations of the tax commissioner, clerk of court, or anything that comes under the board of commissioners or chairman. Graham could order the courthouse closed or implement a curfew. A state of emergency also opens the doors to federal funding if the President issues a declaration.

If the federal or state government rescinds their states of emergencies, then Fannin’s would automatically end.

Fannin can add to a state of emergency if needed at a later time. The board can also do business by teleconference.

“We’re not trying to hurt any business, but we have to take some kind of measure to protect the people that live here all the time,” stated Johnson.

“I do know in our community there’s a lot of anxiety and a lot of fear. We don’t want that to turn to panic. We want to come up with measured responses that are effective but also give people peace,” Helton affirmed.

The Board of Commissioners is expected to declare a state of emergency at 4 p.m. on Wednesday, March 25.

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