Commissioner Meeting - 11/16/20

The bulk of this meeting was spent reviewing the Health Department’s Annual Report, presented by Carrie Herthel from the Harrison County Health Department.

After reviewing the report, Herthel provided a COVID-19 update to the commissioners. She noted that the county was currently in the anticipated “second surge” and that it was anticipated to last several more weeks.

The “All Case” (includes individuals tested multiple times) positivity for the county is currently 6.52%.... putting the county in the “orange” category. She also noted that with 249 cases per 100,000 that the county was considered to be “red” for the “cases per 100,000” metric.

There were 187 more cases this week than last and that the case count per week had doubled compared to the previous week.

Herthel brought the attention back to the governor’s executive orders and response requirements, which can be found here: https://www.in.gov/gov/files/Coronavirus_Response_Requirements.pdf

Herthel encouraged the commissioners to “take it seriously”. (The commissioner 2nd from the left interior wall) asked her if the health of the individual prior to covid affected the individual’s covid outcome. Herthel referenced several practitioners, whom health department officials had spoken to, who had anecdotes of prior-to-covid-healthy individuals of all age groups developing severe long-term complications from the virus.

It was decided that a weekly meeting between the Health Department and the Commissioners was needed. This will be advertised as weekly at noon on Wednesdays (starting the 11/25).

Several opportunities will arise shortly to apply for CARES money or monies from the state to help with covid Management. Carrie emphasized these opportunities would require rapid turnaround with approval from the Commissioners as a prerequisite.

After the discussion with the Health Department representative, the plan to spend $60,000 on signage for Emergency Services Department was agreed upon.

Lisa Long from the Chamber of Commerce got approval from the Commissioners to extend the payment due date for the local businesses given a loan through the Chamber of Commerce and HCCF (Lisa Long noted that only $37,000 was loaned to one business of the $500,000 available.