PORTLAND, Ore. — With talk of opening up some parts of the economy, business and political leaders in Oregon are making plans for how and when that will happen.
Recently we’ve seen two very different approaches.
In rural Baker County, population about 16,000, leaders put together a detailed proposal which they submitted to Governor Kate Brown.
“We believe that we’ve met all the phases and all the criteria as outlined by the governor," said Mark Bennett, who is a county commissioner and cattle rancher. "We’re suffering from an economic impact to our community. Conversely, though, we want to make sure we’re not putting anyone at risk.”
Baker County’s plan runs 14 pages and outlines how it has expanded hospital capacity despite no confirmed cases, is working with local businesses to design safe distancing strategies and stocking up on protective equipment for health care workers.
Bennett hopes Baker County is an example other counties can use, and that the governor approves the plan soon. Cattle prices have fallen 50% and the entire county is hurting.
“The cattle industry brings in about $90 million—tourism about $45 million. Having both of them simultaneously in the situation we are in has been a real, real drain on our community,” he said.
At the other end of the spectrum, Oregon City Mayor Dan Holladay got a stern warning from the Oregon Attorney General after he considered a declaration that would reopen all his city’s businesses.
In bigger counties and urban cities like Beaverton and Hillsboro, leaders are waiting for the Oregon Health Authority and Gov. Brown to signal when things should open up again.
“We expect that the first areas of the state that could be eligible to begin the process of reopening will be in rural Oregon––and in order to ensure those counties have adequate testing capacity, sufficient supplies of personal protective equipment, and the public health staff for contact tracing, we will need to see detailed plans that involve input from local public health officials and health care providers," said Gov. Brown's press secretary, Liz Merah. "Our office continues to engage with local elected officials and stakeholders to receive feedback on the draft framework for reopening the Governor has outlined, and more detailed criteria for counties to begin reopening will be forthcoming."