The Jasper County Board of Supervisors declared a local State of Emergency Monday morning due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The board followed that decision Thursday morning during a meeting at the Jasper County Courthouse in Bay Springs where they opted to take further precautionary measures.
During the gathering that was also attended by Jasper County Emergency Management Director Mike Lucas and Deputy Director Hudson Jenkins, the board opted to close all county buildings to the public other than the courthouses in Bay Springs and Paulding. This includes county buildings like those that are rented and used for public gatherings, beat barns, and the John R. Sims Livestock Facility. Both courthouses will be partially staffed.
“The county courthouses will be open for those who need to go, but if they can do it at a later date, postpone it. We need as little contact with people as we can,” explained Board Attorney Ricky Ruffin. “The staffing at the courthouses will be open, but it will be less than what folks are accustomed to. No human-to-human contact if possible.”
The board also asks that if any courthouse business can be taken care of by phone, mail or e-mail (payments, etc.), the public should do that if possible.
“The board has adopted these guidelines on the advice of the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) and Mississippi State Department of Health,” said Beat 3 Supervisor Doug Rogers.
Extra precautionary measures were also taken by the board to have the courthouses cleaned and sanitized twice a day. The company, Pink Ribbon Cleaning, that generally cleans the courthouses daily was contracted by the board to clean and wipe down counters, surfaces, and doorknobs twice a day until further notice.
Ruffin went on to say that county staff on leave as a result of COVID-19 emergency will continue to be paid. Yesterday the Senate passed legislation (House Bill 1647) allowing local entities to pay employees administrative leave during the emergency.
The Chancery Clerk’s Office is not paid by the county but through filing fees collected. The board agreed to step in and help fund employee pay in that office through county funding.
The following are the actions passed by the Jasper County Board of Supervisors Monday morning and Thursday morning:
*Declared a State of Emergency;
*Board adopted a resolution to follow the recommendations of the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) and Mississippi Department of Health;
*Board amended personnel policy to pay employees under administrative leave if they do send employees home due to pandemic (this action was before Legislature passed HB 1647);
*No events at community centers until further notice;
*No events at recreation facilities until further notice;
*Maintenance Department is cleaning and sanitizing offices more often;
*The county has encouraged employees to wash their hands often, practice social distancing, use hand sanitizer and clean work stations;
*County offices are still open, but notices have been posted on doors that encourage the public to conduct business by mail, e-mail, or telephone;
*Libraries are closed;
*Courts operating under administrative orders from Mississippi Supreme Court Chief Justice Mike Randolph – Courts are open but they are primarily holding court for criminal and emergency matters, and are rescheduling civil matters;
*Limiting access to jail;
*Department heads have adjusted high-risk employees so they don’t interact with the public. Foot traffic in the offices has decreased naturally.