The City of Summerville, Lyerly and Menlo, and the Town of Trion signed a Local Joint Resolution Declaring a State of Emergency with Chattooga County effective Monday, March 23, 2020 at 6:00 p.m. until Tuesday, March 31, 2020 at midnight.
COUNTY OF CHATTOOGA COUNTY
CITY OF SUMMERVILLE
CITY OF MENLO
CITY OF LYERLY
TOWN OF TRION
CHATTOOGA COUNTY LOCAL STATE OF EMERGENCY
JOINT RESOLUTION
JOINT RESOLUTION DECLARING STATE OF EMERGENCY IN THE COUNTY OF CHATTOOGA, THE CITY OF SUMMERVILLE, THE CITY OF MENLO, THE CITY OF LYERLY AND THE TOWN OF TRION, GEORGIA ESTABLISHING THE CLOSURE OF ALL BARS AND RESTAURANTS AND PROCEDURES FOR TAKE OUT OR DELIVERY OF FOOD ONLY, BANNING GATHERINGS OF OVER TEN (10) PEOPLE, PROVIDING FOR DISSEMINATION OF INFORMATION, TO PROVIDE FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.
WHEREAS, In late 2019, a new and significant outbreak of respiratory disease caused by a
Novel Corona virus emerged in Wuhan, China; and
WHEREAS, The respiratory disease caused by the novel corona virus, known as “COVID-19,”
Is an infectious virus that can spread from person-to-person and can result in
Serious illness or death; and
WHEREAS, The President of the United States declaredCOVID-19 a National Emergency
on March 13, 2020; and
WHEREAS, The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has identified the potential public
health threat posed by COVID-19 both globally and in the United States, and has
advised that the person-to-person spread of COVID-19 will continue to occur
globally , including within the United States; and
WHEREAS, The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has noted that COVID-19 is
proliferating via “community spread” meaning people have contracted the virus in
areas of Georgia as a result of direct or indirect contact with infected persons,
including some who are not sure how or where they became infected; and
WHEREAS, The Governor of the State of Georgia declared a Public Health State of Emergency
on March 14, 2020; and
WHEREAS, The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared COVID-19 a world health
emergency and a pandemic influenza emergency; and
WHEREAS, Georgia law allows for the suspension of certain laws, rules, ordinances and orders
during a declared State of Emergency, and authorizes the County and four (4) city
entities to waive compliance with time-consuming procedures and formalities;
O.C.G.A 38-3-1; and
WHEREAS, The Georgia Law grants to Chattooga County, the City of Summerville, The City of
Menlo, The City of Lyerly and The Town of Trion the power to protect the safety,
health and welfare of the public; and
WHEREAS, Georgia law also grants to Chattooga County, The City of Summerville, The City of
Menlo, The City of Lyerly and The Town of Trion the power to declare an
emergency and to pass all laws and ordinances they may consider necessary for
the peace, good order, health, prosperity, comfort and security of the city, and of
Inhabitants thereof; and
WHEREAS, The President of the United States has recommended that any gathering over
10 people be discontinued or prohibited; and
WHEREAS, The Northwest Georgia Medical and public health leaders have worked diligently
and collaboratively to respond aggressively to the COVID-19 impact in Chattooga
County, The City of Summerville, The City of Menlo, The City of Lyerly, the
Town of Trion and surrounding communities. On March 19, 2020 a letter was
sent to all Elected Officials strongly urging action to temporarily close restaurants
bars and other places where individuals gather for socialization (copy of letter
is attached as Exhibit “A” and incorporated herein); and
WHEREAS, Chattooga County, The City of Summerville, The City of Menlo, The City of
Lyerly, and The Town of Trion do not have the personnel or resources to monitor
And police a distancing or gathering limitation.
NOW THEREFORE, in a public and specially called emergency meeting, authorized pursuant to
O.C.G.A. 51-14-1 (G) Chattooga County, The City of Summerville, The City of Menlo, The
City of Lyerly and the Town of Trion resolve and declare as follows:
Section 1: Chattooga County, The City of Summerville, The City of Menlo, The City of Lyerly,
The Town of Trion adopt and make the findings discussed in the “WHEREAS” paragraphs as the factual findings of both Sole Commission and Councils.
Section 2: Chattooga County, The City of Summerville, The City of Menlo, The City of Lyerly and the Town of Trion hereby declares a State of Emergency and a Public Health Emergency in Chattooga County, The City of Summerville, The City of Menlo, The City of Lyerly and the Town of Trion.
Section 3:
a. Chattooga County, The City of Summerville, The City of Menlo, The City of Lyerly
and the Town of Trion hereby declare that all bars, restaurants or businesses that
sell food for consumption on premises or that provide entertainment on premises
shall be closed to in-person dining, consumption of alcohol or entertainment until
the expiration of this resolution.
b. Bars, restaurants or businesses that sell food may offer food for take-out or for
customers to eat somewhere other than at the establishment, provided that
cafeterias in hospitals, nursing homes or similar facilities shall not be subject to
these restrictions and may continue normal operations.
c. Businesses affected by these closures shall establish systems that restrict in-person
contact as much as possible, to include not permitting more than ten (10)
customers at a time to be inside the premises. Such processes may include the
business taking the food to the customer’s vehicle rather than the customer coming
inside the business.
d. Furthermore, business shall ensure that all onsite consumption of food is prohibited,
and that employees and contractors of the business maintain at least six (6) feet of
personal distance between themselves as much as possible given the physical
constraints of the premises.
e. If a restaurant is licensed to sell beer or wine for on-premises consumption, such
business during the efficacy of this resolution only shall be authorized to sell
unopened bottles, cans or other sealed containers of beer or wine for take-out
consumption off-premises.
Section 4: Chattooga County, The City of Summerville, The City of Menlo, The City of Lyerly and
the Town of Trion hereby suspend the use of any County or City Parks by more than ten (10) persons in a group; however, this does not suspend the use of trails which are expressly exempted from this suspension.
Section 5: Chattooga County, The City of Summerville, The City of Menlo, The City of Lyerly and the Town of Trion suspend the bid and competitive portions of the respective Procurement Policy and authorize the respective Commissioner, Managers or Mayors to utilize the single-source policy and to require departments to provide written justification for the procurement during the effective dates of this Resolution.