- Elizabeth Larson
- Posted On
City of Clearlake closes City Hall lobby temporarily in response to COVID-19 threat
On Friday, City Manager Alan Flora declared a state of emergency in the city due to concerns about the threat of COVID-19, the illness caused by the novel coronavirus, as Lake County News has reported.
The Clearlake City Council is due to ratify that state of emergency declaration at its meeting on Thursday evening, Flora said.
Last week, the city of Lakeport and county of Lake took similar actions to declare emergencies in their jurisdictions, and on Sunday the superintendents of the county’s school districts closed all public schools through April 10.
While there have been no confirmed cases of COVID-19 yet in Clearlake or Lake County, Flora said the declaration will allow city officials to facilitate the mobilization of local resources and gives us the ability to coordinate interagency response, accelerate procurement of vital supplies, use mutual aid, and allow for future reimbursement by the state and federal governments.
Flora said in the Monday City Hall closure announcement that preparation is critical to successfully responding to COVID-19.
Citing the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Flora said social distancing is a vital component of preventing the spread of COVID19 by minimizing the risk of exposure.
“The situation surrounding COVID-19 is rapidly changing and we are implementing measures to mitigate the spread of the virus,” Flora said.
That led to his decision to close city hall to the public until at least March 31.
“This closure includes both the lobby of the administrative offices and the police department lobby,” Flora said. “The city will attempt to facilitate normal business through phone calls, email, and video conferencing as necessary.”
Flora added, “The city’s priority during this declared emergency is to continue to protect the public, as well as our employees so we may continue to serve, by limiting the spread of COVID-19. We appreciate your understanding and your patience.”
Community members are invited to call the city at 707-994-8201 for questions or accommodations in conducting city business.
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