2020-129-Order No. 2020-022 Recorded 4/7/2020REVIEWED
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LEGAL COUNSEL
Recorded in Deschutes County
Nancy Blankenship, County Clerk
Commissioners' Journal
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2020-129
CJ2020-129
04/07/2020 7:22:27 AM
For Recording Stamp Only
BEFORE THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF
DESCHUTES COUNTY, OREGON
A Public Health Emergency Order
Cancelling all OMG Permits * ORDER NO. 2020-022
WHEREAS, ORS 401.305 provides authority for Deschutes County to act as an emergency
management agency, including authority to establish policies and protocols for defining and
directing responsibilities during time of emergency; and
WHEREAS, ORS 401.309, DCC 2.04, and the Deschutes County Emergency Operations
Plan (EOP) authorize the county governing body to impose emergency orders upon declaration of an
emergency within the county or within a designated portion of the county and to establish
procedures to prepare for and carry out activities which are necessary to prevent, minimize, respond
to, or recover from an emergency; and
WHEREAS, COVID-19 was declared a pandemic by the WHO on March 11, 2020; and
WHEREAS, Coronaviruses are a group of viruses that can cause respiratory disease, with the
potential to cause serious illness or loss of life; and
WHEREAS, on March 8, 2020, Governor Kate Brown declared a state of emergency due to the
COVID-19 outbreak in Oregon (Executive Order No. 20-03), finding that COVID-19 has created a threat
to public health and safety, and constitutes a statewide emergency under ORS 401.025(1). Governor
Brown also issued guidance regarding group gatherings and social distancing to minimize potential
opportunities for the COVID-19 to spread (Executive Order No. 20-05); and
WHEREAS, on March 13, 2020, the BOCC declared a local state of emergency in
Deschutes County by Order 2020-013; and
WHEREAS, on March 23, 2020, Governor Brown issued a Stay Home, Save Lives Order
(Executive Order No. 20-12), which, among other things, directed individuals to minimize travel, other
than essential travel and also imposed restrictions on all social and recreational gatherings where social
distancing of at least 6 feet could not be maintained; and
WHEREAS, Executive Order 20-12 represents a valid, lawful order within the State of Oregon
and by its terms is effective for an indefinite period of time; and
2020-022 Page 1
WHEREAS, Deschutes County Emergency Manager Sgt. Nathan Garibay has noted that the
local hospitals and emergency responders' supply of masks and critical personal protective equipment is
in dangerously short supply, as are life-saving ventilators, and that social distancing and staying at home
presently and for the indefinite future is now the best tool that we have to slow the spread of the virus
and reduce demands on our limited medical and safety supplies; and
WHEREAS, Dr. George Conway, Deschutes County Health Services Director, has cautioned: "If
each of us starts doing our part now, we can reduce the spread of COVID-19, to protect our family,
friends, neighbors, and co-workers, and could even save the lives of vulnerable people ..... Our not taking
the best actions now could mean that our hospitals could be overwhelmed with many very ill people in
the weeks and months to come............ There is not enough capacity here, or anywhere, to take care
of everyone at once, if and when this epidemic peaks, unless we take this seriously and act now to slow
the spread of COVID-19;" and
WHEREAS, at a March 23, 2020 COVID-19 Update, St. Charles sponsored a public health
update for elected officials and the medical community with one clear message: the medical community
in the region, has a critical shortage of supplies. Without the ability to aggressively test and isolate more
parties, we must prevent the spread of the virus by issuing and enforcing orders to stay home. The
medical community is urging all local officials to support surge planning through a call to action: 1) share
the stay home message, 2) support the hospital with increased restrictions on movement, and 3) get the
word out; and
WHEREAS, when reviewing and approving outdoor mass gatherings the Board of
Commissioners are tasked by state law and county code with imposing stringent public and
environmental health standards to ensure the health and safety of all participants, attendees and adjacent
persons and property; and
WHEREAS, large gatherings of people are known to facilitate the spread and transmission of
COVID-19. Large gatherings pose a risk to attendees, the communities involved and others in ancillary
businesses and nearby areas. It is imperative that we do everything we can to keep everyone as close to
their homes as possible while this crisis continues. The compounding impacts and highly infectious
nature of the novel coronavirus demand unprecedented measures to protect everyone; and
WHEREAS, the County's tourism industry, including Visit Central Oregon and Visit Bend, have
already been responsiveto this crisis through communications urging folks that now is not the time to visit
and recreate in Bend or Central Oregon, or anywhere, but to stay safe and stay home; and
WHEREAS, Deschutes County has a been a significant destination for tourism and recreation
oriented events and gatherings, however the presence of COVID-19 in Deschutes County and throughout
the State of Oregon makes tourism and large gatherings potentially hazardous to public health; now
therefore,
THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF DESCHUTES COUNTY, OREGON, HEREBY
ORDERS as follows:
1. A State of Emergency continues to exist throughout Deschutes County.
2020-022 Page 2
2. In the context of ensuring adherence to public and environmental health standards, and to reduce
exposure to and spread of COVID-19, and in support of state orders to minimize all non -essential
travel and gatherings of people, and in recognition of the indefinite duration of the Governor's
Executive Order 20-12, all previously approved mass gathering events at locations within
unincorporated Deschutes County which are scheduled at any time prior to June 30, 2020, are
cancelled and the associated OMG Permit is revoked.
This Order is effective immediately, and will remain in effect until June 30, 2020, unless sooner
terminated or extended by Board Order.
Dated this bA of AM � '2020
ATTEST:
Recording Secreta
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
O D SCHUTES COUNTY, OREGON
07
PATTI ADAIR, Chair
ARTHONY DeBONE, Vice air
PHILW G. ERSON, Commissioner
2020-022 Page 3