Snyder Mayor Tony Wofford, on Monday, extended the city’s declaration of disaster regarding the COVID-19 coronavirus.
Monday’s declaration is more detailed than the previous declaration, said City Attorney Bryan Guymon.
The declaration recognized the pandemic status of the Coronavirus, and declared that, while no cases of the disease had been confirmed in Scurry County, “it is critical for the City of Snyder to take additional steps to prepare for, respond to, and mitigate the spread of COVID-19 to protect the health and welfare of the citizens of Snyder and the surrounding area.”
The declaration:
•Activates the city’s emergency management plan;
•Prohibits all indoor and outdoor public and private gatherings of 10 people or more anywhere in the city;
•Strongly recommends that Snyder citizens adhere to social distancing guidelines established by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention;
•Exempts public and private schools, licensed day care facilities, places of worship, weddings and funerals, office spaces, hotels, residential buildings, grocery stores, shopping malls, outdoor markets, other retail establishments, hospitals, medical facilities, shelters, jails and detention centers from the mass gathering restrictions, although many of the listed entities are themselves taking steps to limit mass gatherings.
The declaration’s expiration date is May 6, but it could be lifted earlier if conditions improve.
The council also discussed postponing the scheduled May 2 election until the November general election.
Guymon explained that the item, which will be decided at the council’s meeting April 6, is in response to a statement by Texas Governor Greg Abbott.
City Manager Merle Taylor recommended that the election be postponed, but no vote was taken on the item Monday.
The council voted to update the city’s personnel policy with the addition of a policy addressing “Infectious Disease Outbreak (or Potential Outbreak) and Extenuating Circumstances.”
“We have it in there as just ‘airborne contagious illness,’” Guymon said. “It’s just broader than just COVID-19, in the event this happens in the future. But it certainly is applicable to the current situation. We didn’t have one in the policy before, which is why we drafted this.”
Guymon said the policy outlines preventative measures, employees’ responsibilities and emergency paid sick leave.
“It’s a new category of sick leave that we didn’t have,” he said. “It deals with situations where we have this type of pandemic. You’ve got this additional leave that’s available in certain circumstances where we have a quarantine, and say ‘You can’t come to work. We’re sending you home, but we’re paying you for that time you’re away.’”
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