Wednesday morning and early afternoon was a historical time for the Sanilac County Board of Commissioners when they held their regular meeting, a day later than normal. Due to the coronoavirus pandemic sweeping the country, the Commissioners conducted a virtual meeting that lasted around an hour and a half. While the board seats remained empty, County Clerk Denise McGuire and I.T. Supervisor Nancy Rich were the only people seated in the meeting room.
The Commissioners held a tele-conference to do the County’s business along with staff and public comments, also done by telephone. Commissioner Gary Heberling, as well as others on the board, said given the circumstances, he felt the meeting went well and thanked the County staff for arranging and setting up the meeting.
Should the COVID-19 pandemic continue, Commissioners would conduct a similar meeting in two weeks.
The Board of Commission was updated on the County’s efforts during the coronavirus pandemic Wednesday, hearing from County Emergency Management Director Todd Hillman and Health Department Director Bryant Wilkie.
Hillman stressed to the board, as things stand now, the County has adequate equipment. However, he cautioned, if the number of COVID-19 cases surges in the County, they will have a problem with needed items including N-95 masks, face shields and protective gowns.
Hillman told the board he has made a request with the State Emergency Operations Center and is waiting on delivery of the equipment with no idea when it may arrive.
Wilkie said the County’s number of cases held steady for a 24-hour period from Tuesday to Wednesday, with seven cases and one death.
A Worth Township man in his sixties, the County’s first coronavirus patient, passed away Monday night. Wilkie said his department is in daily contact with the County’s EOC and hospitals and monitoring cases.
He also told the board the Sanilac County Health Department has just four testing kits and are awaiting the results of 20 patients who have been tested. Both Hillman and Wilkie encouraged people to heed the advice and stay home if at all possible.
County Administrator Tara Griffith reported that staff at the Courthouse continue to take precautions with essential staff only reporting. She made her comments at the Commissioner’s virtual meeting on Wednesday.
Griffith said on average, just 25 employees are in the entire three-story building at any one time with some departments rotating staff while others are working remotely from home. The building is being cleaned and sanitized daily.
Griffith also reported as a result of State cutbacks in funding due to the pandemic, the County’s tire grant has been eliminated, putting a halt to tire collection days in the county.
She told Commissioners the county will see little, if any, money from the recently approved Federal stimulus program.
