Oconee County Board Of Commissioners April 10 Statement Regarding Coronavirus

Press release from the Oconee County Government:

April 10, 2020

As of 7 pm April 9, 2020, Georgia reports completing 41,085 COVID-19 tests. Of the tests completed, 10,885 tests confirmed COVID-19. Oconee County is showing 34 positive tests.

Governor Kemp’s executive order to Shelter in Place remains in effect through April 30, 2020. You should not be within 6 feet of any person you do not currently live with. Specific business operations closed on April 3rd will remained closed through April 30, 2020. All restaurant dining rooms will remain closed and can only offer take-out, drive-thru or delivery service.

Our local hospitals are doing great work! The hospitals are prepared for a surge. We heard from our hospitals that more homemade cloth masks would be beneficial. They can then be dropped off at either hospital and will be a great help. If you’re able to create and donate these masks, please visit this website to learn specifics:

https://www.piedmont.org/media/file/COVID-Cloth-Facemask.pdf

The Oconee County Board of Commissioners is hosting a virtual Town Hall Meeting on April 14, 2020, to discuss the 2021 Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) and Malcom Bridge Road improvements. For more information: https://www.oconeecounty.com/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=780

Parks:

All use of recreational fields and courts at Oconee Veterans Parks, Herman C. Michael Park, Bogart Sports Complex and Heritage Park, including soccer, softball, baseball, tennis courts, basketball courts, disc golf and playground is prohibited. Park walking trails will remain open provided social distancing requirements are maintained. Additionally, patrons in parks are required to adhere to national recommendations of limiting groups to a maximum of 10 people and maintaining 6 feet of separation. All other pickup recreation games in park spaces are also prohibited.

Census 2020:

The next decennial census is underway. Not only is completing the census a civic duty, it is also crucial for fair representation and distribution of federal funding.

Results from the 2020 Census will be used in reapportionment of the United States House of Representatives and state legislatures and in the allocation of more than $675 billion in federal funds across the country.

Responding to the census has gotten easier - for the first time ever, you can respond to the census online! Let’s get it done today.

Restaurants and Businesses:

We want the community to continue to support local businesses but in a responsible manner. The Tourism and Visitors Bureau has developed an evolving list of restaurants offering drive-thru/pick-up/delivery options to limit social interactions. Please see the link below:

https://www.facebook.com/107016329327480/posts/3396839740345106/?d=n

This is a tough time for all but we encourage businesses to pivot some practices to ensure community health. Additionally, we will be waiving penalties on late Occupational Tax Certificates until May 1 and deferring payment of alcohol excise taxes until September 1.

The following direct links for common transactions may be helpful:

Pay water bill: https://www.oconeecounty.com/498/View-andor-Pay-your-Bill

Renew vehicle registration: https://eservices.drives.ga.gov/_/

Pay property taxes: https://oconeecountyga.governmentwindow.com/tax.html

Pay traffic ticket: https://www.ezcourtpay.com/Tix/Default.aspx

Sign up for CodeRED notifications: https://tinyurl.com/oconeega

In response to the emerging COVID-19 situation, the Water Resources Department is temporarily halting the disconnection of water service for non-payment.

As always, you may also email or call county staff with questions; departmental and staff contact information is available on our website.

For more information about Coronavirus, visit the Georgia Department of Public Health at https://dph.georgia.gov and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/index.html.

This press release was produced by the Oconee County Government. The views expressed here are the author’s own.