Lincoln County’s Board of Commissioners met virtually Monday and voted narrowly to send an application to Governor Kate Brown to “Phase One” reopen Lincoln County with no date set.
Lincoln County Counsel Wayne Belmont said a number of Oregon counties have submitted their applications with many having no specific date. He said that was not “uncommon.”
Board Chair Kaety Jacobson suggested submitting the application without a date because “We don’t control that date anyway.” She said once the Board of Commissioners hears back from the state with approval or pending approval, they could have an emergency meeting and come up with a date to reopen then.
Commissioner Doug Hunt said he was “certainly comfortable” with giving Jacobson and Health and Human Services Director Rebecca Austen authority to execute the document, but expressed concern over opening before June 1 and said a “surge” could happen and the County might need to shut down again.
“I don’t feel super strongly one way or the other about including a specific date in the application,” Commissioner Claire Hall said. “Because I know that people feel strongly both ways and I guess I’m willing to go with the group consensus and if the Governor tells us, I doubt if we’ll see that quick a turnaround but if we could be open a week from this weekend, I’m okay with that too.”
“I would like us to be able to get into that Phase One reopening before June 1,” Jacobson said. “That’s ultimately not our decision, we have to have this application in that sort of gets in the line of being reviewed, those things have to be verified both as a county or a region. I really couldn’t guess how long it’s going to take the state to do that. I would like to see us able to at least get our restaurants partially open and some other things before that June 1 deadline, but again, not up to me.”
Hall moved to authorize Jacobson and Austen to sign and submit the request.
“If the motion doesn’t include a date of June 1st or thereafter I’ll vote in opposition,” Hunt said.
Commissioners Hall and Jacobson voted in favor of authorizing the application and Hunt voted against. The motion passed 2-1.
“Because again, I don’t think we should open before June 1st,” Hunt explained after giving his “nay” vote.
If our businesses in Lincoln County relied on commissioner “full of fear” Hunt for reopening, we would all be in or on the verge of bankruptcy. If it were solely up to him, all businesses would be better served staying shuttered until Jesus returns.
If he could only see the PAIN AND SUFFERING being experienced by our small business community.
Oh I guess I’m dreaming. For him to show genuine concern, he would have to be “HUMAN”.
I do not think Commissioner Hunt’s decision contributed to the misery of small businesses. He wanted to interject some certainty: no sooner than June 1. Isn’t that what business wanted?
Besides, as Commissioner Jacobson said, the date is out of the County’s control anyway and as Counsel Belmont said: “A number of counties are submitting without a date.”
We’ve had 6 cases, we have a brand new hospital in Newport and in Lincoln city. We can control the number of hotel rooms available and restaurant spacing. We would like solutions from our commissioners, not waffling and fear. You are elected to solve problems and lead, not to hide in fear.
Every citizen should realize the Democrats are trying to CONTROL YOU. This leads to Socialism/Communism. They would rule everything you do. It is not about the Virus. Knock your heads if you believe that. CONTROL. Republicans love this Country and enjoy the freedom, our businesses, our lives and religion. Never give in to the lost democrat/left party that is not in our best interest.
I THINK THE COUNTY SHOULDN’T OPEN UNTIL AFTER MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND. WE SAW THIS PAST WEEKEND THAT EVEN THOUGH GOVERNOR SAID TO NOT TRAVEL OUT OF YOUR OWN COMMUNITY ,THE COAST WAS FLOODED WITH PEOPLE FROM INLAND COMMUNITIES. WE ALL WANT TO GET BACK TO SOME KIND OF NORMAL LIFE. BUT I DON’T WANT TO PUT A DOLLAR AMOUNT ON LIVES.
The county could probably safely reopen, we do worry about an influx
of tourists, I know that gift shops, food service and motels have taken
the brunt of this situation. What I don’t have sympathy for are vrd dwellings, I live in an area with 193+ vrds, it’s absolutely insane. I do
not miss the tourist traffic one little bit, they’re still coming anyway,
albeit at a slower pace. I own my own business as a tradesperson, and
haven’t seen a slowdown, I do know people who are out of work, and
given the reality of the situation, as much as I don’t want to see the stream of people through my neighborhood, we are probably safe enough. Even after opening, it’s going to be weird for a lot of people, and “normal” is a distant landmark.
As Dr. Anthony Fauci warned the senate today, a premature return to normalcy “will not only result in needless suffering and death, but would actually set us back on our quest to return to normal.”
Aren’t ”thought leaders” who talk about WARRIORS conflating American Greatness with going to Burger King? Aren’t they confusing recklessness with courage, and freedom with me-firstism?
This is not how healthy societies respond to a crisis.
Imagine for a moment London during the Blitz, and thousands of residents simply decided to turn on the lights and open the shades because they were tired of the blackout. Imagine a nation in the grips of a plague where the public decided that only cucks took precautions… Oh wait.
Our culture calls us all to common purpose and sacrifice. In other words, a culture bound by a social contract that says we are in this together.
Insisting on responsible self government is not the opposite of freedom, it is the essential predicate. Freedom-oriented individuals and non-governmental institutions (some nonmedical busibesses) could be expected to act in our rational self interest and should do better.
But this requires responsible and credible moral leadership to reinforce responsible conduct.
The State has a science-based, three Phased, Reopening Plan. All 3 Lincoln County Commissioners approved the County submission of a re-opening Application and Plan yesterday.
Jeffrey, what more do you want?
Dear Monica,
What businesses need is to be open,open,open. Did I say open? NOW…
Each and every day they are shuttered is one day closer to bankruptcy!
That’s what businesses need.
If you want retail stores and everyday services in the the future, get on board.
The “Want” for Democrats is to lose the small businesses. Don’t you get it? That is why they want them to go UNDER. As long as they can prolong it, it is their selfish desire. Not about the virus. The virus is being used as their weapon. This has been their Socialist Plan for America. We want peace, love, jobs, religion of our choice and FREEDOM.
Comments such as above from Ivy only make the country draw lines and work separately. We have not won any war by dividing the country but by working together. If one business closes it effects all of us in some manner. So this isn’t a Democrat or Republican issue it is an American issue. Stop dividing our country. And stop saying one person cares more then another.
Another “sheep” called Michelle Richards. IT IS ALL POLITICAL. JUST AS EVERYTHING THE DEMOCRAT HOUSE HAS TRIED, TO GET RID OF TRUMP. Shame on YOU.
From your posts it appears you are the one making it political. Again we are stronger as one team. I am going to say one more thing on all of this then sign off. GOD BLESS ALL AMERICANS.
I hope you’re keeping track of who’s voting yay and who’s voting nay. That will tell us who is concerned about the residence here it’s not about money we’re all suffering. It’s about the health and welfare of the people that voted for them
It appears that there are other medical people who don’t always agree with Dr. Fauci. Hear this interview, and decide what you think. https://beforeitsnews.com/health/2020/05/dr-tenpenny-this-is-the-biggest-scam-ever-perpetrated-on-the-human-race-3022120.html
Jim, Dr. Tenpenny is an anti-vaccination activist with no advanced clinical or research specialization in immunology, vaccinology, or public health. Comparing her uninformed opinion to Dr. Fauci’s expertise is a foolish and misleading approach. She is fake news.
The only reason there are so few cases here is BECAUSE things have been closed down. The governor’s phase 1 plan is far less restrictive than other states. I want to see businesses open soon, but Memorial Day could be a problem if the vrd’s fill up with owners and/or their buddies. Tourists that come here aren’t just inlanders, but Washingtonians and Californians, highly infected states, so I’m glad they are looking at lodging separately. The locals here are going to bear the brunt of the constant turnover, and sometimes tourists don’t give a toss about anyone else. They are talking about opening hotels some time around June 1st and then vrd’s in a later phase, which makes sense to me. We are probably the most vulnerable area of the state. The Commissioners are being cautious but reasonable in my opinion.
Remember when all the local governments declared a disaster and activated their emergency plans in advance of the solar eclipse and then nobody showed up? Could be we are all worried about being over run with tourist and nobody will show up. Just because we open our hotels and restaurants doesn’t mean they will come. The smart responsible people will protect themselves and don’t need the government to tell them to stay home.
I’ve already pointed out that bringing politics into this and ranting about
the president, or democrat conspiracies really isn’t lending your opinions
any credibility. We all have political opinions, and when I read comments
that bring up politics, I discount them.
I’m not really sure what we’re going to open up for- I’m under the impression that the Kite Festival has been cancelled, the July Fourth
fireworks have been cancelled, I’d guess if the ocean could be cancelled, that would be considered as well. It’s a little early for gloom and doom,
people are already restless, and cancelling things that are in the distant
or near future is really depressing for a lot of people. No wonder the liquor stores and the pot shops are considered essential businesses. Which is a laugh when you think about it, you just wait, after this ends,
there are going to be more alcoholics and dopers than before. And it’s a big monkey to get a handle on.
It’s true that it’s hard to be civil, or avoid politics when obviously that influences opinions. I was laid off from my full-time and part-time jobs that do depend on tourism a couple of months ago, and still have yet to get a response from the Unemployment Office (epic failure), so yeah, I’m stressed. Your reward for working two jobs is it’s a hard claim and it gets shelved. I also have parents in an elder care facility who I’m worried to death about. I may go bankrupt, I may have to take on another line of work, I may have to move. But there are a lot of elderly people in this area that deserve our consideration.
To Geronimo,
Dr. Tendency has studied vaccines for over 20 yrs. And has talked in Universities. And by the way, I myself have no problem with taking a flu shot myself. However, if she is such fake news, then let some other “expert” come in TV or YouTube and *take apart” her views and show how and where she is wrong! It should be easy!
But no one is doing that. It is simply a case of dismissing her without any proof. I present a link to her ( for each person to decide for themself) as I feel it’s reasonable to not only hear from one expert who the media pushes in front of us. …i.e don’t put all yet eggs, or news, into just one basket, or “authority”. If she’s wrong, fine. But someone should demonstrate how, not just attempt to “silence by labelling”.
Oops. Should be Dr. Tenpenny. Am writing on a tablet, and the spelling often auto corrected wrong, or predicts an unintended word. Sigh. One more thing— I feel it’s true that shutting down and staying home in the beginning DID lesson things. But more testing is being done, we are already in the downhill side and it’s time to get back to our lives, and rights. Nationwide.
This is ridiculous! We have had virtually no evidence of this as an “epidemic” in our county, yet these representative are frozen from decision. Peoples lives are literally at stake and they twitle around indecisive doing nothing. I hope those businesses remaining and people living in this county remember these representatives in the next election.
Robin,
Dr Fauchi has been all over the place with his recommendations. First he says Americans should not be concerned with the virus, it’s not a real threat. Then he tells us that wearing a mask is not necessary and may be harmful. Now he says that wearing a mask is absolutely necessary to stay safe. This man has lost credibility. Check it out. He’s not the Almighty.
The vote by the County Commissioners was a two to one vote with Commissioner Hunt voting nay because the other commissioners were not willing to go along with his recommended date for reopening: JUNE 1st or thereafter. The other commissioner’s did not want to recommend a date.
By the way, this is not a plague. It is not socially responsible to destroy businesses and the countless people associated with them. Have you noticed the unemployment numbers. This is what is immoral.
Can someone explain how Fouci could begin working on the vacine for Corvid Jan 10 when the first US case showed up in WA Jan 13? I find this interesting. Is he that pretty smart?
Yep Trumptards, Looks like you caught us. This is a conspiracy that we planned a few years back. You all were an easy target because your reactions were predicted! It’s working perfect to plan and we are about 70% done now! More will be revealed.