COVID-19 Declaration Of Emergency: Dedham Official Actions

From the Town of Dedham:

March 17 2020

On March 16, 2020 at 3:30 p.m., the Board of Selectmen and Board of Health held an emergency meeting, at which time the following actions were taken:

Declaration of Emergency

The Board of Selectmen voted, in light of the rapidly evolving instances of COVID-19 in the Commonwealth and the burdens it will place on local government, to adopt the following declaration of emergency:

Declaration of Emergency – COVID-19

WHEREAS, the 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) is a highly contagious and potentially fatal respiratory disease, the prevalence of which is increasing rapidly throughout the world, inclusive of the United States and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts; and

WHEREAS, on March 11, 2020 the World Health Organization designated the COVID-19 outbreak a Pandemic Health Emergency; and

WHEREAS, on March 10, 2020, the Governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts issued a Declaration of a State of Emergency to Respond to COVID-19; and

WHEREAS, on March 13, 2020, the President of the United States announced a national declaration of emergency; and

WHEREAS, on March 15, 2020, Governor Baker announced emergency actions to respond to the evolving COVID-19 public health emergency impacting the Commonwealth, including prohibitions on public gatherings of twenty-five or more people and prohibiting on-premises consumption of food or drink at bars and restaurants from March 17, 2020 until April 6, 2020, as well as suspension of elementary and secondary school educational operations from March 17, 2020 until April 6, 2020; and

WHEREAS, the Board of Selectmen [and its Board of Health], in consultation with the State Department of Public Health has determined that COVID-19 presents a major disaster which poses an immediate threat to public health, safety, and general welfare of people residing both within and outside of the Town of Dedham; and

WHEREAS, the Dedham Board of Selectmen [and its Board of Health] have determined that immediate public action is needed in order to prevent or minimize the spread of COVID-19 by and among the people of Dedham; and

WHEREAS, it is critical to take additional steps to prepare for, respond to, and mitigate the spread of COVID-19 to protect the health and welfare of the people of Dedham; and

WHEREAS, declaring a state of emergency will facilitate and expedite the use of resources to protect persons from the impacts of COVID-19, including but not limited to emergency expenditures pursuant to Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 44, Section 31 and limitations on operating hours and access to public buildings; and

WHEREAS, the Board of Selectmen [and Board of Health] recommended that a state of emergency be declared in the town of Dedham.

NOW THEREFORE, we, the Board of Selectmen [and the Board of Health] of the Town of Dedham Massachusetts, hereby declare that as of today, March 16, 2020, a state of emergency exists in the Town of Dedham. This declaration of emergency shall remain in effect until further notice is given, pursuant to our judgment that the conditions leading to this declaration no longer exist.

Dated: March 16, 2020
Signed: Dennis J. Guilfoyle, Chairman

Closure of School & Town Playgrounds

At the same meeting, members of the Board of Selectmen & Board of Health voted that, effective March 17, 2020, all Town and School playgrounds will be closed until further notice, and information will be posted about the closures in those public spaces.

Larger outdoor recreation spaces (fields, trails) will remain open to public use, although the Board urges the public to follow the CDC’s guidance on social distancing and try to avoid interaction with other people.

Annual Town Election

The Board of Selectmen voted unanimously to request the Governor to file emergency legislation on behalf of the Town, a so-called “Governor’s bill”, seeking to delay and reschedule the Annual Town Election to a date to be determined by the Selectmen in consultation with the Town Clerk, Board of Health, and other public safety personnel.

The Board further approved requesting the authorization of early voting by mail in connection with the postponed election.

Further, the Board called upon our legislative delegation to support the Town’s request and intentions on these matters.

Finally, the Board approved postponing the date of the Annual Town Election in accord with the legislation is has requested the Governor files. The Board did not select a new date for the election; instead, the issue will be monitored and an election date will be set at a future time.

Actions Related to Public Meetings, Remote Participation & Public Notification

The Board also moved to encourage boards and committees to undertake only what needs to be done between today and April 3rd and ensure any necessary meetings take place virtually. The board asked boards to minimize meeting agendas so that non-critical issues can be discussed and decided upon when meetings are again more accessible to the public. The board has directed that boards and committees with pending deadlines seek extensions from applicants for a period of 90 days or less for the purpose of ensuring that such matters, if not emergent in nature, do not divert resources from the Town’s emergency response.

Town Hall, both branches of the Dedham Public Library and the Senior Center will be closed to the public until at least April 3rd. Payments and other required business should be conducted via email, telephone or via the town’s secure lockbox at the rear of Town Hall (26 Bryant Street.) Any resident needing special assistance is asked to call ahead to schedule a time when staff might meet a resident just outside the building, at a distance recommended by the CDC.

The Board also adopted language outlining that public meetings in the Town of Dedham will be conducted via remote participation to the greatest extent possible. The Town will strive to provide access to such meetings via a link to call in, or other similar option. In the event that isn't possible, the Town will post recorded sessions of the meeting as soon as possible. No in-person attendance of members of the public will be permitted, but every effort will be made to ensure that the public can adequately access proceedings.

Any public meetings that are conducted remotely will being with a member of the Board reading this statement:

Pursuant to Governor Baker’s March 12, 2020 Order Suspending Certain Provisions of the Open Meeting Law, G.L. c. 30A, §18, and the Governor’s March 15, 2020 Order concerning imposition on strict limitations on the number of people that may gather in one place, meetings in the Town of Dedham are being conducted via remote participation to the greatest extent possible. No in-person attendance of members of the public will be permitted, but every effort will be made to ensure that the public can adequately access the proceedings as provided for in the Order. [We have arranged for a call-in number for those who would like to listen to this meeting. While it is possible that some members of the public may be invited to comment, it is also possible that despite our best efforts, we are not able to provide for real-time involvement, we will post a recording of this meeting as soon as we are able.

Any board or committee meeting remotely must take any and all votes via a roll call and, as always, take detailed meeting minutes.

This press release was produced by the Town of Dedham. The views expressed here are the author’s own.