Gloucester County Administrator Brent Fedors has issued a declaration of local emergency for the county.
Taken as a precautionary measure, the action is partially in response to the Statewide Declaration of Emergency declared on Thursday by Governor Ralph Northam in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The declaration allows for the full powers of government to deal effectively with emergencies or hazardous weather conditions, said a press release.
County officials are working with the Virginia Department of Health and the Virginia Department of Emergency Management and will continue monitoring and preparing for the evolving situation, said the release. Local efforts are aimed at prioritizing the safety and security of all residents, it said, with additional focus on those who are most at risk.
Activities affected
Public access to all Gloucester County offices and buildings is suspended on Monday and Tuesday, March 16 and 17, to facilitate additional planning and preparedness efforts, said the release. Staff will report to work as usual.
The Gloucester County Board of Supervisors joint work session with the school board and the Town Hall Budget Meeting, scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday, March 17 and 18, respectively, are postponed and will be rescheduled.
All Gloucester County Public Schools will be closed for no less than two weeks, from Monday, March 16 through Friday, March 27, in response to the governor’s executive order.
All Gloucester County Parks, Recreation and Tourism programs are suspended until further notice, effective Saturday, March 14, including Tyndall’s Point Park History Day. County parks will remain open to the public for passive recreation.
The Daffodil Festival print unveiling scheduled for Saturday, March 14 at Arts on Main and the Volunteer Appreciation Event and Open House for Parks, Recreation and Tourism scheduled for Sunday, March 15 are cancelled.
Finally, Bay Aging has closed all senior centers and adult daybreak centers.
A decision regarding the Gloucester Daffodil Festival, scheduled for April 4 and 5, will be made in the coming week, said the release.
Gloucester County Circuit Court will hear cases as scheduled, and the Courthouse and Circuit Court Clerk’s Office will be open.
For more information on the virus, visit vdh.virginia.gov/coronavirus. For local updates, monitor the county’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/gloucesterva/, visit the county’s website at www.gloucesterva.info, or call the county’s Department of Emergency Management at 804-693-1390.
Mathews County
Mathews County is making plans to continue local government functions, said a press release, and no county offices are announcing closures at this time. In addition, the Circuit Court will hear cases as scheduled, and the Circuit Court Clerk’s Office will remain open. Information and updates will be provided as the situation changes. For more information, call the county administrator’s office at 804-725-7172.