Supervisors adopt Healthy Communities Resolution
Lassen County supervisors approved a Healthy Communities Resolution last week, noting it’s in favor of more local control regarding COVID-19.
With its adoption, Lassen County joins a list of California counties adopting the resolution, which was drafted by Assemblymembers James Gallagher, Kevin Kiley and Megan Dahle, and State Senators Brian Dahle and Jim Nielsen.
“California’s Blueprint for a Safer Economy provides a one-size-fits-all approach to reopening communities that fails to allow the flexibility to respond in a data-driven way to what is occurring in our county,” read the resolution approved by the Lassen County Board of Supervisors Tuesday, Dec. 15.
The resolution continued, adding the “Blueprint largely impacts the operation of businesses and schools without showing that those environments are responsible for COVID-19 cases observed in our county.”
Moreover, the local resolution noted the supervisors agree to several principles, including that the county is best served by an ability to respond locally to the COVID-19 virus in accordance with local data and circumstances. It also noted the state should enable COVID-19 responses to be tailored to geographically separate areas, like different zip codes, as circumstances and case levels warrant, and that local school districts are urged to safely open all schools for in-person instruction.
The resolution also requested an extension of time beyond Dec. 31 to encumber and spend federal CARES funds.
“A growing number of counties have passed the Healthy Communities Resolution — a product of a collaborative meeting of 15 Northern California counties earlier this year —rejecting Governor Newsom’s Blueprint for a Safe Economy as unscientific and counterproductive. The counties are insisting on a more data-based approach to the COVID-19 pandemic tailored to local communities,” read a statement from North State Leaders.
The legislators who drafted the resolution issued a statement saying, “We are encouraged to see different counties pass variations of the Resolutions that are right for them. The consensus emerging across the state is that lockdowns from Sacramento cannot stay with us in the new year. California must take a different approach to the final phase of its COVID-19 response.”
The local board voiced its approval of the resolution.
“I’m very supportive of this resolution,” said supervisor Chris Gallagher.
