Home Our Town Town Hall Depts. & Services Calendar Home » COVID-19 UPDATES » COVID-19 UPDATES May 8, 2020: The Office of the Mayor | Huntingdon, TN Thursday, Gov. Lee issued Executive Order No. 35, amending Executive Order No. 30 to allow for the reopening of small group, non-contact entertainment, and recreational venues according to new Economic Recovery Group guidelines. This would include businesses such as bowling alleys & arcades, operating at 50% capacity & following guidelines recommended by the State of TN. Details of this may found in section 11.B More details about continued closures of entertainment & recreational venues may be found in section 11.A Executive Order 35 link here: https://publications.tnsosfiles.com/pub/execorders/exec-orders-lee35.pdf If you have questions after reading the Executive Order in the link provided, please feel free to contact us through messenger here or at City Hall by calling 986-2900. From: The Office of the Mayor | Town of Huntingdon, TN Announced this week–If any adult is in need of a mask, you may receive a FREE CLOTH MASK at your local health department. Please contact the Carroll County Health Department if you have any questions or drop by to get your mask & the mask for other adults in your household. Renfro, Corp, a global sock brand company, headquartered in Mount Airy, N.C., with a manufacturing and distribution operation in Cleveland, Tenn., will work with the Unified-Command Group to make free reusable cloth face masks available to as many Tennesseans as possible. TN’s Unified-Command is supplying the first 300,000 Renfro masks, based on population, to all 95 of Tennessee’s county and municipal health departments this week. The local county health departments will serve as a convenient pickup location for local residents in need of a mask. We would like to encourage everyone that doesn’t have one, to take this opportunity to get one. You may think you do not need it, but at some point during Phase One of reopening our economy, you will find yourself within close proximity to others. The more we do now to protect others & ourselves—the sooner we can move into the next phase and begin reopening more of our businesses that remain closed. Let’s all join together as #HuntingdonTNDoingOurPart to move toward some sense of normalcy. #TNPledge From: The Office of the Mayor | Huntingdon, TN ELECTRONIC MEETINGS extended until June 30th for governing bodies: Found in the link provided below, is the latest Executive Order from the Governor’s Office. It extends EO16 that allowed electronic meetings of governing bodies until June 30. Link to the Executive Order 34 here: https://publications.tnsosfiles.com/pub/execorders/exec-orders-lee34.pdf May 6, 2020: The Office of the Mayor | Town of Huntingdon Business Guidelines RELEASED TODAY…for specific industries—Adding to already established Restaurant, Retail, Exercise & Close Contact— NOW available are guidelines for: •Lodging & Accommodations •Manufacturing •Construction Worksite •Office Building •Recreation Read full guidelines here: https://www.tn.gov/governor/covid-19/economic-recovery.html From: The Office of the Mayor|Town of Huntingdon #HuntingdonTNDoingOurPart #TNpledge May 6, 2020: The Office of the Mayor | Town of Huntingdon Are you a business trying to open + need to check temperatures on staff & customers? Can’t find a thermometer–LINK below! As businesses in 89 of Tennessee’s 95 counties prepare to implement guidelines for safe reopen and operation, the Economic Recovery Group has secured special pricing on Touchless Thermometers for the state’s restaurant, retail, and close contact businesses. Yesterday, the State of TN announced that Tennessee-based business owners will have the ability to order this critical piece of equipment through Friday, May 8th at 4 p.m. CT (or until supplies last). More information on how to secure no-touch infrared thermometers is available here. LINK to purchase: https://vault.lootcrate.com/…/infrared-forehead-thermometer… From: The Office of the Mayor | Huntingdon, TN May 6, 2020: The Office of the Mayor, Town of Huntingdon participated in a conference call from The White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs with top Administration Officials. The purpose of this call was to to discuss ongoing CARES Act implementation and additional resources, guidance, and flexibilities being provided to States, Tribes, and Local government for COVID-19 response efforts. Briefings were conducted by: Kellyanne Conway – Counselor to the President of the United States Focused on actions being taken to keep vulnerable populations of seniors, as well as, residents of nursing homes and long term facilities safe. Establishment of Nursing Home Quality, Safety Commission Providing PPE to these seniors, nursing home, and long term facilities. Measures being taken so that seniors continue to receive the medical care they need during this time, i.e. Extended Medicare services & telehealth care. 81 million from cares act will be put to increasing inspections of senior care facilities. With opening up guidelines, encouraging special measures for the senior population. Efforts to continue to provide more in-home meals and services. Veterans services and actions being taken for their safety and care. Eric Hargan – Deputy Secretary of the Department of Health and Human services (HHS) Discussed the allocations of funding from the CARES Act to support rural hospitals. The evolution of clinical test being developed. Touched on improved testing measures being developed. Brian Morgenstern – Deputy Assistant Secretary for External Affairs, Office of Public Affairs for the Department of the Treasury $120 million have been made in Economic Impact Payments. Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) – has assisted 60 million American workers. The second round of funding has averaged a payment of $80K to small businesses, meaning more businesses on the lower side of small business declaration have been receiving funding. PPP still has funding. Encourage local small businesses to apply. treasury.gov/cares Discussed the Coronavirus Relief Fund and addressed eligible use of funds by local governments. Mick Zais – Deputy Secretary of the U.S. Department of Education Total of $30 billion in funding has been made available for education needs across the country Addressed funding to higher education students to offset their expenses due to covid-19 Discussed higher education institution funding $1.4 billion directed to minority colleges & universities K-12 distance learning, ensuring student health and safety, and developing plans for next school year ed.gov/coronavirus questions: email covid-19@ed.gov John Pallasch – Assistant Secretary for Employment and Training for the U.S. Department of Labor Discussed Unemployment Insurance Program under Families First Act Dislocated Worker Grants Clean up and mitigation efforts and funding for those still hiring during the pandemic Funds that can be used for funding Contact Tracing First audit on the Self-Certification Program has been initiated. Chris Gray, Deputy Chief of Staff at the Small Business Administration Yesterday, additional resources through SBA funding were made available to Farm Co-Ops. The top three states receiving PPP loan funding during the second round were: Pennsylvania, North Carolina, and Texas. Over 5,400 lenders have participated in the PPP loans. SBA made 14 years worth of loans in the first round of 14 days of PPP application. Local SBA centers are still your most important resource for small businesses during this time. Please find your regional SBA center at resource: sba.gov To receive the most up-to-date information follow on twitter: @SBAJovita Resource: https://twitter.com/SBAJovita Doug L. Hoelscher – Special Assistant to the President and Deputy Director of Intergovernmental Affairs The Office of Intergovernmental Affairs has held 225 briefings to local officials across the country, like the one the TOH participated in today. Held 18 governor only calls during COVID-19 pandemic. Highlighted best practices of partnerships where state officials are working directly with their county and city officials. Covered amount of testing being done on a state and national level. Recent efforts have been the largest mobilization of public and private sectors since WWII. Discussed how the U.S. is continuing to scale up production of capacity for supplies & food supply chain. The Town of Huntingdon is committed to working for For any questions, please contact Huntingdon, TN City Hall at 731-986-2900 May 5, 2020: The Office of the Mayor | Town of Huntingdon Today, during the Governor’s briefing for the State of TN, the following items were announced: ◾️ Free reusable cloth mask will be available to as many Tennesseans as possible. This week, local county health departments will serve as a convenient pickup location for local residents in need of a mask. Please contact your local health department for details. ◾️ One of 60 nationally deployed decontamination systems will be located in Jackson, Tenn., as part of an effort to bring down costs, and increase availability of, N95 masks for health care providers. ◾️ Touchless Thermometers have been secured by the Economic Recovery Group at special pricing for the state’s restaurant, retail, and close contact businesses. Starting today, these businesses may order through Friday at 4 p.m. CT (or until supplies last). Find more info here: https://vault.lootcrate.com/products/infrared-forehead-thermometer-tennessee-businesses-only ◾️ Tomorrow, the Economic Recovery Group will issue guidance for Tennessee’s small group recreation businesses to begin a safe reopening starting Friday, May 8. The group will also issue guidance for businesses that have remained open during the COVID-19 pandemic, such as offices, manufacturing, and construction industries that require critical supplies to safely operate. ◾️ Executive Order No. 33 was issued, amending EO No. 30 to allow the safe reopening of close contact services. The full text of the order can be found in the link below. ◾️ Testing efforts: In addition to weekend testing events, all local county health departments in Tennessee offer free COVID-19 testing five days a week. Locations can be accessed through the link provided below. ◾️ Dental Procedures Resume after the State worked directly with the TN Board of Dentistry and consulted guidelines set by the American Dental Association to allow dental procedures to safely resume on Wednesday, May 6. ◾️ Allocations for the Small and Rural Readiness Hospital Grants that are facing financial strain due to the ongoing response to COVID-19 were announced. Full details of these matters may be accessed here: https://www.tn.gov/governor/covid-19/covid-19-daily-bulletin.html From: The Town of Huntingdon | Public Works Director/ Codes Official As citizens begin to return to buildings that have been unoccupied during the COVID-19 pandemic, The Tennessee Department of Environment & Conservation is encouraging facilities to follow CDC guidance to ensure optimal water quality: https://bit.ly/2yj1bFR After http://found herean extended period of non-use, it is important to address the stagnant water in the building’s plumbing to ensure safe drinking water. The CDC has published measures to help minimize the risk of diseases associated with water that has likely become stagnant in many buildings. They include a few things such as: 💧Flush your water system 💧Clean all decorative water features, such as fountains 💧Ensure safety equipment including fire sprinkler systems, eye wash stations, and safety showers are cleaned and well-maintained 💧More measures can be found at the link included above. Please contact the TOH Public Works Director at 986-2900, if you have questions. May 1, 2020: The Office of the Mayor | Town of Huntingdon The Mayor’s Office received the official press release from the Governor’s Office addressing the reopening of houses of worship. Friday, May 01, 2020 | 02:35pm NASHVILLE, TENN. – Today, the Governor’s Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives released guidance for faith communities on gathering together in houses of worship. “Tennessee’s faith leaders have been incredibly innovative in finding alternative ways to worship that incorporate social distancing so they can continue to provide spiritual guidance, fellowship, and service to their neighbors during these challenging times,” said Tennessee Governor Bill Lee. “Religious liberty is important and must be protected, and that’s why the State has always deemed religious services as essential gatherings throughout this pandemic. As we look to reopen our economy in a safe fashion, the decision on in-person gatherings will be up to each individual faith community. We’re confident in their ability to determine the proper time and how to incorporate these guidelines to worship in a way that protects the health of their congregation.” The full guidelines can be found in the link below and include: A phased approach to resuming in-person gatherings is recommended. Vulnerable populations (everyone 65 years and older, people with disabilities, people with serious respiratory or cardiovascular conditions, people who are immunocompromised, and others) and children’s activities/nursery programs should not gather in person until a later time. Consider solutions to minimize close personal contact that may be part of your services, such as handshakes or sharing food and drink. As the phased approach begins, limit the size of attendance in your sanctuary and other confined spaces to create seating arrangements that provide at least 6-foot distancing between families. It is recommended not to exceed 50% of maximum capacity of the room and should enable full compliance with CDC recommendations for social distancing and hygiene. Wear face coverings. Encourage members of the community to stay at home if they are symptomatic, have a fever, have been in close contact with someone who has tested positive, or have traveled internationally or to a domestic hot spot in the past two weeks. If a member of the congregation has tested positive for COVID-19, consult CDC guidelines and local health department recommendations to determine whether in-person gatherings should cease immediately, the building should close for additional cleaning, or other protocol changes are required. View the full guidelines here: April 29, 2020: The Office of the Mayor, Town of Huntingdon participated in a conference call from The White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs with top Administration Officials. The purpose of this call was to provide State and local elected officials with up-to-date information on COVID-19 (coronavirus) and pertinent Administration and Task Force actions. Briefings were conducted by: Matthew Redding, Director of the National Integration Center within the National Preparedness Directorate at Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Updates on Project Airbridge to increase supply of PPE. Preparing for how FEMA can continue support to states needs, as they also prepare for flooding season and hurricane season in the fall. Partnership with HHS to expedite shipping materials for testing sites. Discussed the Executive Order providing the authority to ensure the continued supply of beef, pork, and poultry to the American people. How FEMA is working to fill & help supply needs/management of food sector/meat processing supply sector. Resource: fema.gov usda.gov Dan Klowoski – Counselor to the Secretary of the Treasury Economic Incentive Payments – paper checks started to be mailed out early this week, as well as debit cards being mailed out to those that are unbanked. Revamped the “get my payment” portal to enter in your information if you are unbanked and did not submit taxes for the past 2 years. Go to the resource below to enter your information to receive payment. Resource: irs.gov Coronavirus Relief Fund: All $142 billion has been dispensed to states and tribes, with all receiving their final payments this week. Ryan Lambert, SBA intergovernmental affairs office PPP, Paycheck Protection Program started again on Monday at 10 a.m. In 24 hours, applications were awarded, dispensing $50 billion in loans. To assist small community lenders and ensure their small business customers have access to the PPP, today from 4 PM EDT – 11:59 PM EDT, systems will only accept loans from lending institutions with asset sizes less than $1 billion. sba.gov To receive the most up-to-date information follow on twitter: @SBAJovita Resource: https://twitter.com/SBAJovita Ja’Ron Smith, Opportunity and Revitalization Council Focused on opportunity zones, and how they will now be adding recovery in these zones related to COVID-19 in historically underserved communities. Recommendations roll out next week on how to best serve these communities. Wants feedback on the infrastructure that they need to push for to best help these local communities. 2 work groups currently involved in planning for: How to create more access to impoverished communities trying to restart businesses post COVID-19 and maintain jobs. Working with Surgeon General on public health strategy post COVID-19. Resource: https://opportunityzones.hud.gov/thecouncil Janet Wright, MD, FACC, – (acting) Director of Science and Policy within the Office of the U.S. Surgeon General Importance of communication of safety precautions and stressing guidelines to continue to follow. Discussed our most at-risk and vulnerable populations and what local government needs to continue to look for in assessment moving forward to help the underserved. Additional $25 billion to expand testing Exploring new testing mobile sites. Resource: https://www.whitehouse.gov/openingamerica/ Stressed importance of developing a plan on the local level. Dr. Tammy R. Beckham, Director for the Office of Infectious Disease and HIV/AIDS Policy (OIDP) Discussed the Opening Up America – Testing Blueprint with guidelines Resource: https://www.whitehouse.gov/openingamerica/ Core principles in this plan: Providing supplies and lab needs Provide guidelines on how to administer test. Working with states to develop testing plans moving forward. Swabs, testing devices, etc. aligning these supplies for collection and how they will be distributed. May and June – Federal Government will be working to make sure they have the supplies according to state & local level needs. Using state lab capacity numbers to determine these needs. $11 billion in the Cares Act will help to fund all of this. FDA continuing to give authorization to new tests. Continued testing and care for Symptomatic patients. Work to find asymptomatic patients. Focus on potential outbreaks & clusters. Use of antibody test. Doug L. Hoelscher – Deputy Assistant to the President and Director of Intergovernmental Affairs | Special Assistant to the President and Deputy Director of Intergovernmental Affairs Gave a recap of recent data sent out displaying the economic impact information for each state. Emphasized strategic testing plans and states understanding their testing ecosystem. Food supply chain and how recent actions have been taken that food supply chain (meat, poultry & pork) ultimately get to the consumer. Applauded Tennessee for announcing everyone in every nursing home across the state will be tested. For any questions, please contact Huntingdon, TN City Hall at 731-986-2900 April 28, 2020: The Office of the Mayor | Town of Huntingdon, TN Economic Recovery Group Releases Reopening Guidance for Gyms We know so many in our community of Huntingdon are ready to get back to their routine fitness schedules. As we move into another level of re-openings in our community, we want to remind everyone to continue to do their part in stopping the spread of COVID-19. These guidelines are recommended to help individuals have a base line in which to measure best-hygiene practices as we move forward, while getting businesses back open and people working. We greatly appreciate all of the hard work our business owners are doing to implement these recommended practices. Please know it does not lessen an individual’s personal responsibility to take precautions to ensure the safety of themselves, their loved ones, and the other people in your community. #HuntingdonTNDoingOurPart to stop the spread of COVID-19, while also supporting each other. Nashville, Tenn. — Today, Tennessee’s Economic Recovery Group announced guidance for gyms and exercise facilities on how to reopen safely. Gyms will be allowed to reopen in 89 of the state’s 95 counties beginning Friday, May 1. The counties excluded are those with locally-run health departments: Shelby, Madison, Davidson, Hamilton, Knox, and Sullivan. “Exercise is incredibly important for the physical and mental health of our population, and we want Tennesseans to have access to safe environments where they can exercise as appropriate,” said Tennessee Governor Bill Lee. “These guidelines outline best practices in keeping with recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and health experts for gyms to reopen in a way that will keep their employees and customers safe.” In addition to strict adherence to CDC guidelines, the State recommends gyms, fitness/exercise facilities, or substantially similar facilities and activities put into place an assortment of measures to protect consumers and employees. The full guidelines are posted online here: https://www.tn.gov/governor/covid-19/economic-recovery/exercise-facilities-guidelines.html and include: BUSINESS PROCESS ADAPTATIONS ▪️Restrict facility access to staffed hours only (i.e., any unmanned facilities must be manned) and limit facility occupancy to 50 percent of capacity as dictated by fire code; ▪️Mitigate exposure in the workplace by implementing social distancing guidelines and modify scheduling; Staff to conduct regular (i.e., every 2 hours) disinfecting of high-touch surfaces, equipment and common areas of the facility using disinfectant cleaning supplies according to CDC guidelines; ▪️Close showers, locker rooms, and lockers until further notice. Ask customers to instead use small gym bags to store personal belongings; remind customers to appropriately monitor or secure such personal belongs or provide a secure area monitored by staff; ▪️Close all swimming pools, hot tubs, saunas and other recreational water or spa facilities; ▪️Close all basketball courts, racquetball courts, and other places where formal and informal group or team sports may occur; ▪️Any youth or adult team leagues or sports should remain closed; ▪️Only allow group fitness classes if classes can be completed in accordance with social distancing recommendations (including but not limited to: less than 50% capacity and with more than 6 feet of distance maintained between participants at all times; no shared equipment during the class; sufficiently adjusted class schedules to allow for deep cleaning between classes; martial arts and other contact activities should be completed without any person-to-person contact); ▪️Encourage all employees and customers to wear PPE where applicable, and recommend that customers wear a face covering (not N-95 or medical masks, which should be reserved for healthcare workers); ▪️Adjust equipment layout and close or restrict access to equipment to maintain at least six feet of distance between equipment; ▪️Temporarily close water fountains, common areas, break rooms, check-in counters, where customers or employees may congregate. Encourage users to provide their own water; ▪️No self-service options (coffee bars, smoothie stations and other forms of communal food in facilities). Food retail should follow restaurant guidelines; ▪️Ensure that staffing of facilities is sufficient to enable enhanced sanitization and cleaning measures; CONSUMER PROTECTION ▪️Screen customers for illness upon entry to the gym: Best practice: Temperature checks for every customer. Persons with temperatures above 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit should not be permitted on premise; Minimum: Question customers regarding COVID-19 symptoms Have you been in close contact with a confirmed case of COVID-19? Are you experiencing a cough, shortness of breath, or sore throat? Have you had a fever in the last 48 hours? ▪️Keep doors and windows open where possible to improve ventilation; ▪️Post signs encouraging social distancing (visible to customers); ▪️Require that customers wash or sanitize their hands upon entering and leaving the facility; ▪️Require customers to clean equipment they come in contact with using disinfecting wipes before and after each use; ▪️Encourage customers to use only one piece of equipment at a time (i.e., no circuits or “super setting”) so that machines are cleaned after use; ▪️Consider limiting workout length to avoid unnecessary exposure, decrease congestion, and allow for additional sanitization; ▪️Recommend that persons more vulnerable or at-risk for COVID-19 as identified by the CDC—including those who are over the age of 65 or those who have chronic medical conditions—take extra precaution or refrain from use of the facility during Phase 1 of re-opening. EMPLOYEE PROTECTION ▪️Allow employees to work from home as much as possible; ▪️Screen all employees reporting to work for COVID-19 symptoms; ▪️Staff should wear face coverings (not N-95 or medical masks, which should be reserved for healthcare workers) and other personal protection items as recommended by the CDC; ▪️Provide training on personal protective equipment based on CDC guidelines; ▪️Provide a sanitizing station such as a wash basin with soap and/or bottle of hand sanitizer; ▪️Practice recommended social distancing to the greatest extent possible. Again, view the full guidance here: https://www.tn.gov/governor/covid-19/economic-recovery/exercise-facilities-guidelines.html The Economic Recovery Group (ERG), composed of 30 leaders from the public and private sector, is crafting guidance to assist businesses in a safe reopening. The industry representatives participating in the ERG collectively represent over 140,000 Tennessee businesses that employ over 2.5M Tennesseans. The ERG met with owners of fitness centers from different areas of the state to compile this list of guidelines and best practices during this phase of re-opening. April 24, 2020: The Office of the Mayor | Huntingdon, TN In regards to Governor Lee’s announcement about the opening of restaurants and retail in the coming week, the Town of Huntingdon will be following the guidelines recommended today by the State of TN. (See attached documents on “Tennessee Pledge” or go here for a downloadable file & more information: https://www.tn.gov/governor/covid-19/economic-recovery/tennessee-pledge.html) Re-opening dates for those two industries are as follows: ▪️Restaurants: Monday, April 27th ▪️Retail: Wednesday, April 29th The Town of Huntingdon would like to stress how very important it is for our citizens to understand that this re-opening will not be business as usual. The recommendations set forth are to help ensure the safety of everyone, as we begin to slowly integrate a portion of our collective workforce back to their jobs. The re-opening of close contact services such as barber shops, salons, massage services, etc. have been recommended by Governor Lee to be put on hold for a few more weeks. This week, an announcement concerning the re-opening of most of our state parks was made. For more information, please utilize the following links: https://www.tn.gov/environment/news/2020/4/20/tennessee-state-parks-to-reopen-most-parks-friday.html https://tnstateparks.com/about/keeping-visitors-healthy On a local level, walking trails at Kelley Sports Complex & Veteran’s Park will remain open, while all other park facilities remain closed at this time. Please find below, a synopsis of Tennessee’s program to begin re-opening our state. Governor Lee’s briefing on this matter may be viewed at either of the following links: https://sts.streamingvideo.tn.gov/Mediasite/Catalog/catalogs/mediasiteadmin-covid-19-media-briefing ____________________________________________________________________________ The “Tennessee Pledge” – is a plan to help Tennesseans return to work in a safe environment, restore their livelihoods and reboot our state’s economy. COVID-19 is an unprecedented and rapidly evolving threat facing Tennessee and the world. The health and safety of Tennesseans remains our number one priority. Much of our state’s current success in this fight is because Tennesseans naturally choose to put each other first and voluntarily adopt safe, new habits. It’s that volunteer spirit that’s been fighting this pandemic and it’s the same volunteer spirit that will rebuild our economy. This plan was developed by Governor Lee, the Unified Command Group (UCG) and Tennessee’s Economic Recovery Group (ERG) with input from health experts, state and local partners and business and industry leaders. It includes specific recommendations which enable most businesses to re-open responsibly without the burden of heavy mandates. This will be a gradual process, with room to adjust as we evaluate changing data. The Tennessee Pledge asks businesses to provide safe working conditions that protect their employees’ health and also protects consumers while securing their livelihoods. This plan also asks employees to commit to protecting themselves, their co-workers and the customers they serve. Finally, we encourage every Tennessee resident to be on the same team with our businesses: act responsibly by following recommended guidelines for social distancing, hygiene and wearing protective equipment when appropriate. Only by working together as a community of volunteers can we successfully reboot our economy, a vital component of our lives, security and liberty, and successfully move past this public health crisis. For more questions, please feel free to contact Huntingdon City Hall at 731.986.2900. April 23, 2020: The Office of the Mayor | Town of Huntingdon, TN Many have been asking about plans for businesses next week. Governor Lee announced at 3:00 p.m. today during his daily briefing: 1. Tomorrow morning (Friday), there will be a special press briefing to share the first round of industry guidance being released. 2. Starting Monday, restaurants will be able to be open if they operate at 50% capacity and follow the guidelines that will be released tomorrow. 3. Starting Wednesday, retail locations will be able to be open if they operate at 50% capacity and follow the guidelines that will be released tomorrow. Again, more details on this announcement will be shared on the guidelines during a briefing tomorrow morning. Once a time is released for this briefing, we will let our followers know. #HuntingdonTNDoingOurPart April 20, 2020 (5:50 p.m.): The Office of the Mayor, Town of Huntingdon, TN Special Note from Mayor Dale R. Kelley follows the Governor’s Press Release, below– Gov. Lee Announces Safer at Home Order Will Expire April 30, Tennessee Begins Phased Reopening Next Week Nashville, Tenn. — Today, Governor Bill Lee announced the order for Tennesseans to remain at home will expire April 30, with the vast majority of businesses in 89 counties allowed to re-open on May 1. “Our Economic Recovery Group is working with industry leaders around the clock so that some businesses can open as soon as Monday, April 27,” said Gov. Lee. “These businesses will open according to specific guidance that we will provide in accordance with state and national experts in both medicine and business.” The Lee Administration will work with Shelby, Madison, Davidson, Hamilton, Knox and Sullivan counties and their health departments as they plan their own re-open strategies. “While I am not extending the safer at home order past the end of April, we are working directly with our major metropolitan areas to ensure they are in a position to reopen as soon and safely as possible,” said Lee. “Social distancing works, and as we open up our economy it will be more important than ever that we keep social distancing as lives and livelihoods depend on it.” The Economic Recovery Group (ERG), composed of 30 leaders from the public and private sector is crafting guidance to assist businesses in a safe reopening. The industry representatives participating in the ERG collectively represent over 140,000 Tennessee businesses that employ over 2.5M Tennesseans. More information about ERG is available here: https://www.tn.gov/…/gov–lee-establishes-economic-recovery… Note from the Mayor | Town of Huntingdon The departments within the town have been in conversations, working diligently to assess and begin preparations for when we will be able to open our local economy. The TOH Mayor’s Office will continue to communicate with the State, as they roll out more specific recommendations. When those plans have been finalized, we will convey the details to our citizens. Thank you for your diligent efforts to do your part here in our town to stop the spread. Let us continue to pursue those same efforts in the coming weeks. There will need to be an even more concerted effort of our citizens to practice safe distancing and adjust our way of life, as we begin moving into the next phase. We must continue to protect ourselves, our families, and those most vulnerable in our community. -Mayor Dale R. Kelley April 20, 2020: The Office of the Mayor, Town of Huntingdon, TN RE: COVID-19 Death in Carroll County Friends, As you may already be aware, the Tennessee Department of Health today reported the first COVID-19-related death in Carroll County. To be clear, we are not informed of patient information, so we know nothing beyond that a person has passed. Whether we agree with regulations that prevent the sharing of this or not, it is the current reality that we operate within. For all that call Carroll County home, this loss hits us on a very personal level. We assure you that, as local leaders, we share those same feelings. It is simply heartbreaking. Let us collectively pray for, and grieve with the family, whoever they may be, as they are experiencing the loss of their loved one to this virus. Let us also grant them privacy. Whatever your approach to or thoughts have been towards this virus, let this serve to show the seriousness of it. We clearly have a ways to go in regards to testing and eventual treatment. We must continue to keep the safety of our county as priority. Please continue to adhere to CDC, White House, and TN Health guidelines. As local governments, we must continue to follow federal and state mandates. As individuals, we must continue to protect our vulnerable populations, and take extra precautions to care for the elderly and children, as well as those that are struggling emotionally and mentally. Your friends, Joseph G. Butler, Carroll County Mayor James Halford, Mayor – Atwood Rob Woods, Mayor – Hollow Rock Dale Kelley, Mayor – Huntingdon Phil Williams, Mayor – McLemoresville Jill Holland, Mayor – McKenzie Bobby Blaylock, Mayor – Trezevant April 17, 2020: The Office of the Mayor, Town of Huntingdon, TN This week, the Office of the Mayor participated in a conference call from The White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs with White House administration. The purpose of this call was to provide state and local elected officials with up-to-date information on COVID-19 (coronavirus) and pertinent Administration and Task Force actions. Today’s call specificlly focused on three areas: Response and Recovery, The Deparment of Treasury and Small Business Administration Report, Wrap-Around Services update for vulnerable populations. Recovery and Response Update FEMA has all 10 emergency response regions activated and major disaster declarations have been approved for every State in the country. The President has also approved 43 Title 32 requests for the National Guard providing 100 percent federal cost-share for States. ▪️FEMA continues to coordinate the transportation of critically needed personal protective equipment (PPE) across the country through Project Air Bridge. ▪️Encouraged local officials about the continued importance of health care officials reporting the number of available hospital beds, intensive care potential occupancy number, number of ventilators, etc. ▪️Stressed the importance of combating rumors. Encourage citizens to check sources and only share trusted outlets and verified information. ℹ️Tammy Beckham, DVM, PhD Director Office of HIV/AIDS and Infectious Disease Policy (OHAIDP) U.S. Department of Health and Human Services ▪️Delivered update on current testing. ▪️Explained antibody testing. The FDA has (3) test that are approved. There are companies marketing other test, but those are not FDA approved. ▪️New test developed are also reducing the amount of PPE needed. Economy/CARES Act Update ℹ️ Dan Klowoski – Counselor to the Secretary of the Treasury ▪️Economic Impact Payments On April 15, Treasury and the IRS launched the “Get My Payment” web application. The app allows individuals to track the status of their payment. It also allows taxpayers who filed their tax return in 2018 or 2019, but did not provide their banking information on their return, to submit direct deposit information. ▪️Social Security recipients who do not file tax returns will automatically receive economic impact payments. More here. ▪️Treasury has also opened a web portal to get Economic Impact Payment funds into the hands of the unbanked. Resource: https://www.irs.gov/coronavirus/economic-impact-payments Coronavirus Relief Fund ▪️Discussed the eligibility guidance for CARES Act funding to State, Local, and Tribal Governments that was released by Treasury on April 13. Main Street Business Lending Program and Municipal Liquidity Facility ▪️Treasury launched a Main Street Business Lending program and a Municipal Liquidity Facility to support the flow of credit to American workers, businesses, States, counties, and cities impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. The Municipal Liquidity Facility (MLF) will provide up to $500 billion in direct financing to states, counties, and cities to help ensure they have the funds necessary to provide essential services to citizens and respond to the coronavirus pandemic. More here. ℹ️ Bill Briggs – The Political Deputy Associate Administrator for the Office of Capital Access (OCA) ▪️Discussed the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) for small businesses and the request made to Congress for $250 billion in additional funding to this program. Since opening the PPP Program, the SBA has processed more than 14 years’ worth of loans in less than 14 days ▪️More information on the Paycheck Protection Program here. ▪️The Employee Retention Credit is available for businesses not eligible for the PPP. This is a refundable credit of up to $5,000 per employee, who is retained instead of being laid off. More here. ▪️We encourage small business to reach out to your SBA Regional Offices: SBA maintains district, regional, and field offices throughout the country. Those with questions about the PPP, disaster loans, and other SBA programs are encouraged to contact one of these offices. ℹ️Jim Carroll – Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy ▪️People with Substance Use Disorder (SUD) and Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) are especially at high risk suffering complications from COVID-19. ▪️Discussed the importance of not interrupting services for individuals in our communities currently in treatment/ recovery from addiction. ▪️Stressed the importance of reaching out to these individuals during a lonely time of social distancing. ▪️ONDCP released a fact sheet that contains information on Federal actions to expand telemedicine and e-prescribing, to increase flexibility for treatment with methadone and buprenorphine, to improve access to prescribed controlled substances, and to expand assistance to rural areas. More here. ▪️For additional information, please visit ONDCP’s website here. ℹ️ Lynn Johnson – The Assistant Secretary at HHS’s Administration for Children and Families and Shannon Christian – Director of the Office of Child Care at HHS’s Administration for Children and Families ▪️The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act provided $3.5 billion in supplemental CCDF funds to State, Territory, and Tribal governments to help address COVID-19 impacts. The funding was distributed on April 13. The funds have two main purposes: 1) First, provide child care to emergency/essential workers across the income range, and 2) Second, invest in the retention of child care workers and businesses so they will be there when the health crisis is over. More here. ▪️ACF worked closely with CDC to develop specific guidance for child care settings on policies and practices to better address safety and virus spread concerns. The CDC child care supplemental guidance can be accessed here. ▪️ACF developed and released a State-by-State guide to help emergency/essential workers find child care. ▪️Resource: https://www.acf.hhs.gov/occ ℹ️ Lance Robertson – Administrator and Assistant Secretary for Aging at Health and Human Services (HHS) ▪️Discussed Funding: Families First (meals for older adults), helping to keep older adults in their own homes, care quality to remain high in nursing homes, independent living programs supporting individuals with disabilities ▪️How can I make sure a senior is getting a meal? 1-800-677-1116 ▪️Resource: acl.gov ℹ️ Dr. Neeraj Gandotra – Chief Medical Officer, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). Resources follow: ▪️https://www.samhsa.gov/coronavirus ▪️https://findtreatment.samhsa.gov/ ▪️https://findtreatment.gov/ Citizens of Huntingdon, thank you for doing your part to slow the spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19). Much of the information received in the latter portion of this call focused on the need to help take care of those most vulnerable. Please contact a neighbor and check on them. We appreciate, more than you know, your continued efforts and look forward to tackling the next steps in preparation for opening back up our local economy in the coming weeks. For questions, please contact Huntingdon City Hall at 986.2900. April 15, 2020: The Office of the Mayor | Town of Huntingdon, TN The Mayor participated in a conference call briefing from Tennessee Governor Bill Lee. The Town of Huntingdon, along with the Governor’s Office, is working diligently to keep our community safe, while preparing to get our community back to work. Therefore, it is with utmost importance that for the next two weeks, our citizens buckle down and continue to do your part in seeing the flattening of the curve in TN and our county number of positive cases go down. The health of our community is invaluable. Your personal health is vital to making sure our community is able to get back to work. Topics of this call included: ▪️Information on continuing to promote safety in our community and adhering to the April 30th stay-at-home order. ▪️Communication avenues for local government to utilize in communicating special needs in our communities. The Town of Huntingdon has been participating in calls, as well as, surveys sent out from the Governor’s Office requesting specific information concerning our community during this time. We are also in close contact with our local state officials. ▪️Discussed the Unified Command Group’s work, and informed us of the Economic Recovery Group (ERG) that has been established. The ERG will be meeting with local leaders, industry, and healthcare officials to begin creating strategies of opening back up our economies. ▪️Unemployment applications: On Monday, 100 thousand were processed. On Tuesday, 110 thousand were processed. The system did have to be enhanced to process the unprecedented amount of claims filed, but be encouraged and patient. ▪️In the Governor’s press conference today at 3:00 p.m., topics of schools, COVID-19 testing, and the strategy moving forward for Tennessee will be discussed. The Town of Huntingdon is thankful for our community and proud of the way you all have approached this pandemic. We adamantly request you continue to do your part, over the next few weeks, by staying at home. To get our economy back open, we need to ensure we can safely do this. It is going to take us all–working together–apart. For questions, please contact Huntingdon City Hall at 731-986-2900. #HuntingdonTNDoingOurPart #WorkingTogetherApart #COVID19 April 13, 2020: The Office of the Mayor | Town of Huntingdon, TN For those unable to view TN Governor, Bill Lee’s press conference today, we are sharing his executive order number 27 which extends the mandatory shelter at home guidance until April 30th. The Executive Order may be read here: https://publications.tnsosfiles.com/pub/execorders/exec-orders-lee27.pdf Video Briefing may be viewed here: https://sts.streamingvideo.tn.gov/Mediasite/Play/16043bf9ec20459283841e66729ee48d1d?catalog=e8dd4e04d1064f2ab14ba2b7162822d021 Also addressed: The Unified Command Group will continue to consult with experts, analyze all available data, and monitor CDC recommendations for the remainder of this month. Beginning in May, a phased reboot of the economy is planned. Creation of Economic Recovery Group Gov. Lee announced the development of the Economic Recovery Group to focus on a phased reboot of the state economy. The group will be led by Tourism Commissioner Mark Ezell and will work in coordination with legislative leadership, local mayors, health care professionals, and representatives of impacted industries. The Economic Recovery Group will issue industry-specific guidance so that businesses can be prepared to operate safely and protect their employees and customers. By formalizing an economic recovery specific group, this will ensure the Unified Command Group will continue their focused efforts of disease management, improving hospital and testing capacity, and increasing our PPE supply chain. The Unified Command Group will also be making recommendations to Gov. Lee about when and how to begin the phased-in reopening of the economy. For more information on COVID-19 in Tennessee, please visit the Tennessee Department of Health’s website here: https://www.tn.gov/health/cedep/ncov.html On a local level, it was announced that Carroll County Schools will be closed through April 30th. #DoYourPartStayApart April 13, 2020: The Office of the Mayor | Huntingdon, TN For those of you with school-age children, West TN PBS in partnership with the TN Department of Education, is offering educational programming for 1st-6th grade. The schedule is attached below. To receive the weekly schedule by email, sign up here: https://bit.ly/2X5i9BK Link to TN Department of Education YouTube Channel for viewing: https://www.youtube.com/user/TNDeptofEducation?fbclid=IwAR0N1PJX8pVD5VKwEckNwzRIHlpdazd4daJWxPy4pfD9CNTL8klXN5LbyDk April 8, 2020: The Office of the Mayor, Town of Huntingdon, TN The Office of the Mayor participated in a conference call from The White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs with President of the United States, Donald J. Trump, as well as others from his administration. The purpose of this call was to provide state and local elected officials with up-to-date information on COVID-19 (coronavirus) and pertinent Administration and Task Force actions. The President expressed the importance of local and state officials in helping to fight the war in our communities against COVID-19. He discussed communication received from local entities, expressing needs of their communities and how helpful this information is when making decisions. He also discussed his request sent to Congress yesterday to increase the Paycheck Protection Plan (PPP) for small businesses by $250 billion and the importance of our small businesses on a local level. The “30 days to slow the spread of COVID-19” campaign was also highlighted to continue to push in our communities. Briefings were also conducted by: Eric D. Hargan – Deputy Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Reported how the CARES Act funding will be distributed, concerning HHS. Highlighted information on the State & Local Preparedness grant resources found here: https://www.hhs.gov Dan Klowoski – Counselor to the Secretary of the Treasury Gave an update on the work of the treasury department. Paycheck Protection Program (PPP): over 340,000 loans applications have been received, and they are looking for Congress to increase the funding to this program. Economic Impact Payments: Discussed that rebates would start being sent out April 15th. For those un-banked, they are currently working on how those citizens can obtain their rebate and send that information out, as it is solidified. Resource: https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/economic-impact-payments-what-you-need-to-know https://home.treasury.gov/coronavirus Coronavirus Relief Fund: Discussed how this fund can help local government expenses incurred by COVID-19. Frank Brogan – Assistant Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education at the U.S. Department of Education Shared information of their work to utilize funding from the CARES Act through K-12 and secondary education. Highlighted the flexibility to use these funds and to repurpose for technology & distance learning, as needed during this time. Resource: https://www.ed.gov/coronavirus For education questions email: cover-19@ed.gov Brian Montgomery – Assistant Secretary of Housing and Urban Development for Housing Discussed HUD’s efforts to utilize funds from the CARES Act to keep individuals in housing during this time. Joby Young – Chief of Staff of United States Department of Agriculture Update on efforts of the USDA and how they are working to keep the local food supply chain working. He highlighted how the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) is eligible for agricultural entities to apply. He also noted special attention with CARES Act funding to be utilized for: Relief to farmers/ranchers experiencing market loss from COVID-19. Reconnect Program – additional funding for adults to earn an associate degree or technical certificate, tuition-free. Resource: usda.gov/coronavirus John Pallasch – Assistant Secretary for Employment and Training in the Department of Labor Discussed the Families First Act, workforce, and programs being implemented as a result of the CARES Act. https://www.dol.gov/coronavirus Bill Hughes – Associate Deputy Attorney General at Department of the U.S. Department of Justice Discussed $850 million funding from the CARES Act for the Byrne Justice Assistance grant program to assist state and local law enforcement and jails prevent, prepare for, and respond to COVID-19. Resource: https://bja.ojp.gov https://www.ojp.gov/funding Anthony Pody – Department of Commerce Discussed the affects of COVID-19 on fisheries, commercial fishing, and packaging. EDA funding opportunities through the CARES Act. Contact your regional offices for information: https://www.eda.gov/contact/ Funding opportunities through the Minority Business Development Centers & Chambers. Resource: https://www.mbda.gov Joel Szabat – Assistant Secretary for Aviation and International Affairs for the U.S. Department of Transportation Explained avenues of grant funding through the Department of Transportation that can be applied for through state department of transportation. Commended the ability of U.S. transportation to continue to do their jobs and distribute food and essential products as needed. Citizens of Huntingdon, thank you for doing your part to slow the spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19). Please continue to keep up your efforts, and we will all get through this together. For questions, please contact Huntingdon City Hall at 986.2900. Baptist Carroll County to Offer Mobile Testing for Coronavirus HUNTINGDON, Tenn., April 6, 2020– Starting on Wednesday, April 8, Baptist Memorial Hospital-Carroll County will offer drive-up testing for coronavirus (COVID-19) at the Carroll County Complex (625 High Street) on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 8 a.m. to noon. Appointments will be required for testing before arrival for patients who are 18 years old or older and who have symptoms, such as fever, cough, sore throat and body aches. Patients will not need to exit their vehicle or pay upfront co-pays or fees for the test. Insurance is not required for testing. However, insurance will be filed for those who are insured. Baptist Medical Group also offers virtual office visits for patients who have mild or moderate symptoms through Baptist OneCare MyChart at mychart.baptistonecare.org. Using a smartphone, computer or tablet, patients can consult with a health care provider through on-demand video visits, scheduled video visits or e-visits. To schedule an appointment or for information about COVID-19, call Baptist’s Coronavirus Resource Center at 866-941-4785 or visit baptistonline.org/coronavirus. Baptist Memorial Hospital-Carroll County offers comprehensive inpatient and outpatient medical care in a wide variety of specialized areas. From pediatrics and general surgery to complete cardiac care, physical therapy and palliative care, Baptist Carroll County delivers advanced medical technology and world-class care to West Tennessee. Friday, April 03, 2020 | The Office of the Mayor, Town of Huntingdon It is imperative that the citizens of Huntingdon, continue to “Do Our Part” and STAY-AT-HOME to help slow the spread of COVID-19. As reported from the TN Governor’s Office: Today, Gov. Lee and members of the Unified Command group traveled to Knoxville and Chattanooga to meet with local leaders and discuss surge planning efforts in these areas. Administration Actions Executive Order 24 Gov. Lee signed Executive Order 24 which includes the following provisions: -Gives Commissioner of Health authority to allow post-degree, pre-licensed mental or behavioral health professionals to treat patients through telemedicine under the supervision of a licensed professional. -Extends payment due date for the professional privilege tax from June 1 to July 1. -Suspends until July 1 the April 6 deadline for filing applications for property tax relief and tax freezes, so that elderly and other vulnerable populations will not have to visit public buildings to apply. -Gives the Commissioner of Labor and Workforce Development the discretion to require a terminating employer’s information faster (within 4 days, rather than 7 days) in the unemployment benefits claims process, in order to speed up processing of benefits. -Extends price gouging law for another 15-day period (it can only be invoked for 15 days at a time) -Suspends expiration of marriage licenses, which normally happens within 30 days of obtaining the license if no ceremony is held, between March 12 and May 31 is until June 30, so that those delaying their weddings because of COVID-19 don’t have to pay for a new license. -Suspends due dates for filing statements of interest with Tennessee Ethics Commission and Governor’s Office to July 15, so that it is consistent with the federal tax return filing deadline. -Extends deadline for previously certified law enforcement officers in Tennessee or another state that are beginning work as full-time law enforcement officers to complete certain introductory POST Commission courses. -Allows motor vehicle dealers to record their interest in financed vehicles with the Secretary of State while county offices are closed. -Extends due dates for driver license reinstatement installment payments for those on payment plans until June 17. -Provides flexibility for Tennessee Corrections Institute county jail plans in light of COVID-19 conditions . – Suspending the requirement that funds provided to the state at walk-in state service locations be deposited within 24 hours if needed to safeguard the health, welfare, and safety of state employees. For more information on COVID-19 in Tennessee, please visit the Tennessee Department of Health’s website here. https://www.tn.gov/…/covid-19-bulletin–12—april-3–2020.… April 2, 2020: The Office of The Mayor, Town of Huntingdon, TN Tennessee Governor Bill Lee signed Executive Order 23 requiring that Tennesseans stay home unless they are carrying out essential activities. The executive order remains in effect until April 14, 2020 at 11:59 p.m. Gov. Lee addressed these measures in the press briefing today at 3 p.m. CDT. For you to refer back to Executive Order 22, we have attached it here also. Today’s briefing may be viewed here: https://sts.streamingvideo.tn.gov/…/mediasiteadmin-covid-19… Executive Order 23: https://publications.tnsosfiles.com/pub/execorders/exec-orders-lee23.pdf April 1, 2020: The Office of the Mayor, Town of Huntingdon, TN The Office of the Mayor participated in a conference call from The White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs with Dr. Anthony Faci, Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease, as well as other White House administration. The purpose of this call was to provide State and local elected officials with up-to-date information on COVID-19 (coronavirus) and pertinent Administration and Task Force actions. Dr. Faci explained just how critial the next two weeks will be for all of us on a local level to stop the spread of COVID-19. He also discussed the importance of citizens intensively adhering to the physical separation guidelines. Briefings were also conducted by: Larry Kudlow – Assistant to the President for Economic Policy Highlighted details on the Economic Assistance Plan and how it will assist individuals/ families that have been affected by the virus, as well as assisting small businesses. Dan Klowoski – Counselor to the Secretary of the Treasury Discussed deails on the Implementation of the Corona Virus Relief Fund. Denzel McGuire – Program Associate Director for Education and Labor for the Office of Management and Budget Provided a breakdown of funds in the areas of education, HUD, CBDG grants, transit agencies and medical facilities. Chris Pilkerton – Acting Administrator of the Small Business Administration Discussed the resources that can be utilzied to support small businesses during this time. Importance of small businesses contacting their local lenders about Loan Debt Forgiveness Grants. Website resources: www.sba.gov https://www.sba.gov/page/coronavirus-covid-19-small-business-guidance-loan-resources John Pallasch – Assistant Secretary for the Employment and Training Administration Explored topics of Cares Act, Pandemic Unemployment Assistance, and Dislocated Worker Grants Website resource: https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd Chris Krebbs – Director of Department of Homeland Security’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) Discussed process of establishing essential and non-essential declarations and gave updates on the continued process to manage these declarations. Website resource: https://www.cisa.gov/ For questions please contact City Hall at 986-2900. MARCH 31, 2020: The Office of the Mayor, Town of Huntingdon, TN The Mayor participated in a conference call briefing from Tennessee Governor, Bill Lee. We are thankful for his commitment in staying connected to all city and county mayors during this time. We are committed to working together to keep our citizens safe and economies working. Executive Order 22, issued yesterday by the Governor, directed Tennesseans to stay home unless engaging in essential activities to limit their exposure and spread of COVID-19. It is extremely imperative that the citizens of Huntingdon follow the strong urging of this order to stay at home when at all possible for the protection of yourselves and this community. If your job is an Essential Activity or Essential Service (link follows defining classifications), you are strongly encouraged to use thoughtful planning, careful coordination, and consideration of others when engaging in Essential Activity or Essential Services in order to minimize the need and frequency for leaving their place of residence or property. What is an Essential Activity or Essential Service?https://publications.tnsosfiles.com/pub/execorders/exec-orders-lee22.pdf Following the guidelines set forth in Executive Order 22, Huntingdon’s parks will close all pavilions, playgrounds, and basketball courts, as these activities present a unique risk for the spread of COVID-19 and do not follow the health guidelines set forth by the CDC to remain (6) feet apart and avoid surfaces or objects that could possibly have the virus on them. Parks will remain open for walking and outdoor activities where the health guidelines may be followed. We all have a personal responsibility to make wise decisions about how we respond to this situation. Because of the nature of COVID-19, what we do at this moment and how we limit our activity/ interaction with others will not produce immediate results that we can see. Therefore, you must do your part to follow the guidelines set forth or our healthcare system will be overwhelmed in the coming weeks. Please remember to continue supporting our local businesses by utilizing their curb-side services and shopping with them through on-line avenues. We are all in this together, and we are proud of our town’s response through support and encouragement of one another. Now, please continue to show community support by doing the most important thing you can do as a member of it–Stay at Home and Help Stop the Spread of Covid-19 in Huntingdon and Carroll County! For questions, please contact Huntingdon City Hall at 986.2900. MARCH 30, 2020: Tennessee Governor Bill Lee has issued safer at home guidelines in every Tennessee county. Gov. Lee’s daily press conferences can be viewed live each day this week at 3 p.m. CDT here. Gov. Lee has also established a website specific to COVID-19 updates which can be found here. Administration Actions Executive Order 22 – Statewide Safer at Home Order Today, Gov. Lee issued Executive Order 22, implementing safer at home guidelines in every Tennessee county to further mitigate the spread of COVID-19. The order goes into effect Tuesday, March 31 at 12:01 a.m. CDT and will extend to April 14, 2020 at 11:59 p.m. CDT. This is not a mandated shelter in place, but instead urges Tennesseans who are in non-essential roles to remain at home. The executive order restricts businesses that cannot safely operate during COVID-19 including businesses like barber shops, salons, recreational and entertainment outfits. It also provides for the continuation of essential businesses throughout every county to protect the economy. Unified Command Engaging Entrepreneurs Unified Command announced a partnership with LaunchTN to work directly with Tennessee businesses and entrepreneurs who are willing to switch production to make lifesaving PPE and medical supplies, as well as other important health care functions during the COVID-19 pandemic. For more information on COVID-19 in Tennessee, please visit the Tennessee Department of Health’s website here. MARCH 26, 2020: Links to Governor of Tennessee’s Update on Tennessee’s efforts regarding COVID-19 relief. Gov. Lee’s daily press conferences can be viewed live each day this week at 3 p.m. CDT here. Gov. Lee has also established a website specific to COVID-19 updates which can be found here. Key Updates from Gov. Lee: COVID-19 Unified Command On March 23, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee established the COVID-19 Unified Command, a joint effort to be led by Commissioner Stuart McWhorter, to streamline coordination across the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency (TEMA), Tennessee Department of Health and Tennessee Department of Military. This group launched a website today which includes helpful resources, FAQs, and local and global data related to COVID-19. Public Service Announcement Campaign Today, the State of Tennessee launched a public service announcement campaign that urges all Tennesseans to adopt preventive health measures to slow the spread of coronavirus. View Governor and First Lady’s video here. Additional information can be found here. Administration Actions Unemployment Tennessee is experiencing an unprecedented number of unemployment claims through the Department of Labor & Workforce Development. Since last week, Tennessee has received 39,096 claims and counting compared to 2,702 the week prior, a 1,300% spike in unemployment. The state is spearheading a public-private partnership with the Tennessee Grocers and Convenience Store Association, Tennessee Retail Association, and Hospitality TN to create the Tennessee Talent Exchange powered by Jobs4TN.gov. The goal of the exchange is to quickly match Tennesseans who are out of work due to COVID-19 with companies currently experiencing a surge in business and making immediate hires. The Department of Labor & Workforce Development has modified the state’s workforce development website to quickly post job openings and match job seekers with employers. Additional information can be found here. Executive Order 20 Today, Gov. Lee signed Executive Order 20 to ensure Tennessee can further mobilize health care workers to fight COVID-19. The executive order accomplishes the below actions, among others: · Loosens restrictions around retired medical professionals to help get qualified individuals back in the workforce. · Temporarily suspends continuing education requirements so professionals can continue working through the pandemic. · Calls for the availability of phone assessments for individuals with mental illness or emotional disturbances. · Expands telemedicine efforts so that all licensed providers may utilize telemedicine during COVID-19 as long as they are practicing within their normal scope of practice. For more information on COVID-19 in Tennessee, please visit the Tennessee Department of Health’s website here. Yesterday, March 25, 2020, Governor Bill Lee provided an update on Tennessee’s efforts regarding COVID-19 relief. This also included information that FEMA has approved Tennessee’s disaster declaration for the remaining counties. All affected counties are now covered: Benton, Carroll, Davidson, Putnam, Smith and Wilson. To read the full briefing please go here: https://www.tn.gov/governor/covid-19/covid-19-daily-bulletin/2020/3/25/covid-19-bulletin–6—march-25–2020.html MARCH 26, 2020: From the Office of The Mayor, Town of Huntingdon It is imperative as citizens of Huntingdon, TN that we all do our part to help slow the spread of the coronavirus. This disease is in our community and surrounding areas, so we must be adamant in taking every precaution and following guidelines set forth by the CDC. Wash your hands frequently and continue to practice social distancing. Stay home if you are able to do so. If your job requires you to be out, take safety precautions and try, as much as possible, to limit your interactions with others. Keep in mind that people over 65 and those with compromised immune systems or prior illnesses are at a greater risk. However, this disease does not discriminate and is affecting every category of our population. As of Thursday, March 26, 2020 at 5:00 p.m., the TN State Health Department reported 21-30 year olds to be the category with the most confirmed cases (260) in our state. We encourage our citizens to use wise judgment in these times. Your individual choices can save your life and the lives of your loved ones, as well as the lives of complete strangers. We are thankful for the increased amount of sun and mild weather, but with this, we have seen a large increase in outdoor activity. Please make sure you are practicing social distancing. We ask parents or guardians, please keep children from gathering or playing together with others from separate households to ensure their safety. We would like to commend businesses in our community for altering the way you provide your services and for following guidelines to ensure the safety of our citizens. Please continue to support our local businesses during this time. Following are TOH Department Updates: All Town of Huntingdon buildings are closed to the public and to outside departments. City Hall Lobby is closed, but drive thru and night drop box are available. We will accept credit/debit payments by phone without an additional fee. Hours are Monday – Friday from 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. As safe potable (drinking) water is a necessity for life, it is important that we have a redundant system that will insure safe water and follow all regulations. The Town of Huntingdon currently has five (5) certified water treatment and distribution operators. Public Utility employees are continuing their regular shifts, and answering calls on a 24 hour basis. It is important for the public health to collect and treat sewer in a way that insures safety to the public, to the environment, and follows regulation laws. The Town of Huntingdon has three (3) certified operators for the Sewer Treatment and Collection. Parks are remaining open in order to allow citizens to participate in outdoor activity. However, the parks are not allowing any public gatherings of more than ten (10) people and should be practicing social distancing of at least 6 feet from other individuals. The restrooms are cleaned twice a day during the week. All bathrooms will be locked during the weekends while the threat of the virus exists. Our cemetery employees are continuing to maintain the cemeteries. Garbage pickup is contracted out to Waste Management (WM). WM has advised that barring any unforeseen circumstances, they intend to continue to fulfill their contract. The Town employees will continue to pick up bulk debris and brush on the normal schedule. The Dixie is rescheduling performances and events affected during this time. All City Court is being rescheduled until June 1, 2020. Police officers are continuing their daily activities and routines but limiting person to person contact with the public to emergency situations. The Department of Public Safety is conducting a daily walk through of local businesses to assess the food and necessity availability. Conditions are improving with shelves being restocked and less panic buying at this time. Please contact City Hall at 986.2900 if you have any questions. MARCH 25, 2020: The Office of the Mayor, Town of Huntingdon participated in a conference call from The White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs with the U.S. Surgeon General – Jerome Adams – and Senior Administration Officials. The purpose of this call was to provide State and local elected officials with up-to-date information on COVID-19 (coronavirus) and pertinent Administration and Task Force actions. Briefings were also conducted by: Dr. Peter Navarro, Assistant to the President and Director of the Office of Trade and Manufacturing Updates on repurposing of factories to meet the needs of medical equipment and other essentials during this time. Importance of asking local businesses/ entities that have extra N95 masks to donate those to local healthcare facilities. (City Hall in the Town of Huntingdon will be the local drop-off for these items, as well as other surgical masks or home-sewn masks. Please call City Hall at 731-986-2900 for questions or drop off at the window between the hours of 7:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.) John Gibbs, Acting Secretary of Community Planning and Development at HUD CBDG grant updates and extension process HUD.gov/coronavirus Chad Wolf, Acting Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security Critical infrastructure Transportation and essential economic activity of supply chains FEMA grant updates Bill Hughes, Associate Director of the Department of Justice Commitment to continued safety Scams and Price Gouging If anyone is approached by a scammer or witnesses price gouging, the public is encouraged to contact the Federal Hotline with complaints and tips at 1-877-720-5721 or report to local authorities. (Huntingdon Police Department at 986-2906 or 986-5310) Ian Brown, U.S. Department of State Assisting U.S. citizens efforts to return from overseas step.state.gov – an individual may register to return to the U.S. travel.state.gov – to see conditions of travel in other countries Dr. Elinore McCance-Katz, Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Abuse samhsa.gov/coronavirus – resources for local health providers and public dealing with mental health and substance abuse during this time For any questions, please contact Huntingdon, TN City Hall at 731-986-2900 MARCH 23, 2020: Gov. Bill Lee Signs Executive Order 18 Limiting Non-Emergency Healthcare Procedures and Requesting Donation of Medical Supplies by Non-Hospital Healthcare Providers. On Monday, March 23, 2020, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee signed Executive Order 18, which prohibits hospitals, out-patient surgery centers, and dental surgery centers from performing elective surgeries. The order also requests and encourages non-hospital healthcare providers to donate their medical supplies like masks to the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency (TEMA). Executive Order 18: https://publications.tnsosfiles.com/pub/execorders/exec-orders-lee18.pdf MARCH 23, 2020: Office of the Mayor, Town of Huntingdon Since the onset of the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak in the U.S., the Town of Huntingdon (TOH) has been in diligent communication with state and local leaders, as well as participation in conference call briefings with The White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs and locally comprised health and response task force teams. Daily reports are received in the Office of the Mayor, where department heads within the TOH meet each day to assess, initiate response and begin mitigation plans. The Town of Huntingdon stands committed to the safety of our residents. A conference call was held at 10 a.m. on Monday, March 23, 2020 where Mayor Dale Kelley and Town Council members received reports from each Department within the (TOH) detailing their specific response efforts. Executive Order No. 17 was signed by Tennessee Governor Bill Lee. This Executive Order went into effect at 12:01 a.m. CDT this morning Monday, March 23 and shall remain in effect until 12:01 a.m. CDT on April 6 to temporarily limit social gatherings, move restaurant sales to takeout models for food and alcohol and also address the use of gyms/fitness centers. Please see the full Executive Order through the link below. We thank our local restaurants and businesses for adhering to this order, and we encourage citizens to support these local establishments. The TOH is staying up-to-date on information dispensed from our national and state governments to help support the economic impact on our small businesses. Now on the 8th day of the President’s 15th day challenge to slow the spread of the Coronavirus, we plea that you adhere to national/state mandates and recommendations, as well as the guidelines of the CDC. Huntingdon has always been #communitystrong, and your local government knows that this time in our history will prove the same. For questions, please contact Huntingdon City Hall at 986-2900, Huntingdon Public Safety at 986-2906 or 986-5310, or Huntingdon Utility Department 986-2915. State of Tennessee Resources: https://www.tn.gov/governor/covid-19/covid-19-daily-bulletin.html https://www.tn.gov/health Executive Order 17: https://www.tn.gov/governor/news/2020/3/22/gov–bill-lee-signs-executive-order-mandating-alternative-business-models-for-restaurants-and-gyms–lifts-alcohol-regulations.html FEMA Resources: https://www.fema.gov (CDC) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Resources: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/index.html Site Contents April is Fair Housing Month Our Town Historical Huntingdon Attractions Huntingdon Heritage Festival Memorial Day Observation “The Dixie” PAC 1000 Acre Lake Our Schools Citizens Awards Local Businesses Industries & Opportunities Health & Fitness Town Hall Boards & Commissions Bids & RFP Notices Employment Utilities Quick Guide Depts. & Services Finance & Administration The Dixie Carter Performing Arts & Academic Enrichment Center Mayor and Council Public Safety Planning & Codes Enforcement Parks and Recreation Public Works Public Utility Dept. Municipal Court Calendar Contact Us Town of Huntingdon 19810 East Main Street P. O. Box 668 Huntingdon, TN 38344 Phone: (731) 986-2900 Fax: (731) 986-2919 http://www.huntingdontn.com/ huntingdoncityhall@huntingdonch.com Site Translator Selecteer een taal▼ Search This Site Search for: Upcoming Events DEC 13 Mon 2021 12:30 pm Planning Commission Meeting @ City Hall DEC 14 Tue 2021 12:30 pm Industrial Board Meeting @ Mallards Restaurant JAN 10 Mon 2022 12:30 pm Planning Commission Meeting @ City Hall JAN 11 Tue 2022 12:30 pm Industrial Board Meeting @ Mallards Restaurant FEB 8 Tue 2022 12:30 pm Industrial Board Meeting @ Mallards Restaurant Home Home Our Town Our Town Town Hall Town Hall Depts. & Services Depts. & Services Calendar Calendar Designed by Elegant Themes | Powered by WordPress