As other counties push back against shutdown, manager maintains cautious tone
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As officials in some counties voice interest in ending the coronavirus shutdown regardless of what Pennsylvania’s administration says, Luzerne County Manager C. David Pedri said Monday he does not yet have a position.
Pedri said he will review the matter with Luzerne County Council at its Tuesday night virtual meeting.
“I — like everybody else — want to break out of this quarantine. I want to support our small businesses,” Pedri said.
But Pedri said the wellbeing of all residents also must weigh in the decision.
“I also have the responsibility of maintaining the health, safety and welfare of every single Luzerne County citizen, young or old, no matter where they live within the county,” he said.
In addition to containing a city that’s been identified as a coronavirus hotspot — Hazleton — Luzerne County ranks eighth among the 67 counties for the most confirmed cases, Pedri said.
As of Monday, Luzerne had 2,426 confirmed cases. At 15,008 cases, Philadelphia has the most, followed by: Montgomery, 5,292; Delaware, 5,046; Bucks, 4,028; Berks, 3,417; Lehigh, 3,259; and Northampton, 2,465.
The state has not set a timeline on when Luzerne and other counties in the northeastern part of the state will be permitted to advance from the restrictive “red” phase to the more relaxed “yellow.”
During an online briefing Monday, Gov. Tom Wolf said closures have helped to stop the spread and warned counties and businesses there will be consequences if they fail to follow them.
For example, discretionary coronavirus funding won’t go to counties that fail to comply with orders, he said. Business owners risk loss of their insurance, occupancy certificates and licenses, he said. Employees of businesses that open illegally are permitted to continue remaining home and collecting unemployment, he said.
Reopening too soon can cause cases and deaths to spike and closures to be reinstated, he has said.
Schuylkill pushing back
Neighboring Schuylkill County is among several counties where officials have indicated plans to take control of the decision on when they will advance to the next phase of reopening, according to published reports.
“The politicians who are encouraging people they were elected to lead to quit the fight are acting in a most cowardly way,” Wolf said. “This is not the time to give up. This is not the time to surrender. This is the time to rededicate ourselves to the task of beating this virus.”
Pedri said he is aware of both the governor’s position and the movement of some counties to explore their own schedules for lifting restrictions.
“While I don’t agree with every aspect of the governor’s plan, I do understand the impetus behind the plan,” Pedri said.
Pedri said he’s reached out to both the governor’s office and state health department seeking their rationale.
Wolf and state Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine have repeatedly said they are basing their decisions on case counts, modeling, medical facility capacities, testing/contact tracing and the advice of scientists and medical professionals.
Meeting with Levine
Levine said last week she had met with officials in the Philadelphia area about their eventual progression to the yellow phase and would do the same with those in the northeast.
“We’re going to take Dr. Levine up on that offer,” Pedri said.
Pedri also said he’s asked the county law office for a legal review of the rights of both the county and state in making determinations about reopening.
Wolf said during his briefing Monday he can legally stop counties from opening because county residents are also his constituents. The state Supreme Court reaffirmed his authority under the constitution, he said.
While the reopening date is unknown, Pedri said a “clear, precise plan” must be in place and backed by the county when it happens.
“No matter what, we need to make sure we open up safely and that we are supporting our businesses,” Pedri said.
County council’s virtual meeting starts after two 6 p.m. hearings on municipal plans to take over county-owned roads.
Instructions on attending the meeting are posted on the council section at www.luzernecounty.org.
Reach Jennifer Learn-Andes at 570-991-6388 or on Twitter @TLJenLearnAndes.