Order No. 75-21 IN THE MATTER OF PROCLAIMING JACKSON COUNTY’S OPPOSTION TO THE CONTINUED RESTRICTIONS RELATED TO THE CORONAVIRUS EMERGENCY IMPOSED ON THE RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES OF JACKSON COUNTY
WHEREAS, the health, safety, and welfare of the citizens of Jackson County has been, is, and continues to be the primary consideration of the Jackson County Board of Commissioners; and
WHEREAS, the restrictions imposed on Jackson County related to COVID-19 including mandatory lock-downs, business closures, and all of the other restrictions have had a severely detrimental effect on the health, safety, and welfare of Jackson County including its economic vitality, the mental health of its residents, and overall quality of life in Jackson County; and
WHEREAS, the Board of Commissioners for Jackson County recognizes that SARS-COV-2, the virus which causes COVID-19, is a contagious virus and contagious viruses exist throughout the world; and
WHEREAS, science has shown over the last year that the virus which causes COVID-19 is overwhelmingly survivable; and
WHEREAS, Jackson County and its residents have worked tirelessly and diligently to effectively respond to the COVID-19 state of emergency; and
WHEREAS, data and real-life observations are mounting nationwide and science is indicating that lock-down measures, business closures, and other similar restrictions related to COVID-19 do not have a significant impact in reducing the transmission of the COVID-19; and
WHEREAS, in fact, many states have experienced a leveling off and reduction in the number of infections after ending mandatory lock-downs, business closures, and other similar restrictions; and
WHEREAS, statewide hospitalization numbers recently have been used by the Governor as the metric to trigger the imposition of restrictions for the “Extreme Risk” category in Jackson County including significant restrictions on businesses and the activities of the residents of, and visitors to, Jackson County; and
WHEREAS, despite the overall statewide hospitalization numbers, Jackson County’s local hospitals and health care system are not overwhelmed with COVID-19 cases, and COVID-19 cases create no imminent threat of scarcity of hospital capacity nor medical resources; and
WHEREAS, vaccination numbers in Jackson County continue to rise and have greatly mitigated the risks in the populations of those most vulnerable to severe outcomes, including hospitalization and death, and thus indicate that the local hospitals and health care system are extremely unlikely to ever become overwhelmed by COVID-19 cases in the future; and
WHEREAS, many businesses in Jackson County have already closed their doors permanently as a result of the Governor’s ongoing restrictions on their operations imposed by the Governor related to COVID-19, and the administrative fines and citations used to enforce those restrictions; and
WHEREAS, many more businesses in Jackson County are on the brink of permanent closure due to the ongoing restrictions on their operations imposed by the Governor related to COVID-19, creating a fiscal emergency and a devastated local economy; and
WHEREAS, too many residents in Jackson County continue to face an ongoing economic emergency with the uncertainty in their ability to provide for themselves, their families, and the community due to the extreme negative impact on employment opportunities caused by the COVID-19 related restrictions on businesses and the community; and
WHEREAS, the citizens of Jackson County are fully capable of making private, individual healthcare and lifestyle decisions for themselves and their families; and
WHEREAS, the Governor’s lock-down and masking mandates are also actively creating division and unrest with the increased potential of physical violence within our community as those of one opinion are encouraged by it to impose their opinions over the free will of those of another in a physical way, and we are obligated to address and prevent crime.
Now, therefore,
The Board of County Commissioners of Jackson County PROCLAIMS:
1. Jackson County is in an ongoing crisis due to the impacts on the economy and mental health, and the increase in crime caused by the ongoing State of Emergency Declarations related to COVID-19 and the risk category restrictions and Oregon Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) mandates and guidance imposed on the residents of Jackson County.
2. The County will continue to communicate with the Governor’s Office with the goal of addressing the impacts of this crisis including, but not limited to: (a) Never again imposing the “Extreme” risk category restrictions in Jackson County. (b) Removing all other mandatory restrictions imposed in Jackson County. (c) Ensuring that, in the future, all COVID-19 related mandates are strictly voluntary in the nature of compliance.
3. The County will support legislation which provides full compensation by the State of Oregon to business owners who have had their businesses impacted by the restrictions related to COVID-19 imposed by the Governor and the State of Oregon in Jackson County.
4. The County will support legislation which provides full compensation by the State of Oregon to the residents of Jackson County who have had their income impacted by the restrictions related to COVID-19 imposed by the Governor and the State of Oregon in Jackson County.
5. The County will support legislation that limits the duration and extent of the Governor’s emergency powers during the current and future emergencies.
6. The County will share this proclamation with other Oregon cities and counties and media outlets.
Sheriff Nathan Sickler
Sheriff’s Message on Jackson County Board of Commissioners Call for Repeal of Measure 110: “I support our Board of Commissioners in adopting a resolution to call for a repeal of Measure 110. We will continue to work with our local governments and community members to address the negative effects of Measure 110 and advocate for change.”
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