Sugar City Council approves COVID-19 emergency resolution

REXBURG – The Sugar City Council approved an emergency resolution during its Thursday council meeting.

The resolution comes on the heels of Gov. Brad Little’s recent order asking that only essential business be conducted and that everyone stay home to help fight the COVID-19 virus.

The city joins other Upper Valley governments in declaring an emergency to combat the virus.

“The nature of this emergency is such that we still have time to involve the public and work through normal financial and policy making processes,” said Mayor Steve Adams.

Adams also said that the essential work of city would continue as normal but is asking residents to pay their utility bills online.

The Sugar City Council met via Zoom, an internet conference calling service, to hold its meeting. The city’s code allows for it to broadcast its meetings via computer. From city hall on Thursday, Adams spoke to council members who had logged in from their respective homes to hold the first of its kind council meeting.

Adams said that the city’s goal is to be supportive of Little’s order and to insure that everyone remain at a safe distance and isolated.

“I think we’ve done a great job as a city and as neighbors in keeping that guidance in our community,” he said. “The overall goal is to do our best not to overwhelm the healthcare infrastructure that we have.”

Adams says that the governor’s order puts a greater emphasis on what’s already been recommended in the city.

“It’s us policing ourselves,” he said.

The COVID-19 crisis has become a great concern for Adams. He said declaring an emergency allows the city to move money in its budget to help during the crisis.

“With the Governor’s order, I actually think that the order in and of itself has created employment and business situations that I do feel most likely constitute an emergency,” he said. “I’ve been told that if there’s a business in the city requesting funding, and the city didn’t declare an emergency, that could hamper their application.”

Councilwoman Connie Fogle told the council that she had heard similar sentiments in other meetings.

“I believe it’s very important that we follow through with making the declaration for the businesses of the town and not making light of it. Even though we don’t have it affect our specific city, it doesn’t mean it won’t,” she said.

Fogle’s fellow council members Joy Ball, Steve Davis and Katherine Nielsen all agreed and expressed concern for Sugar’s small businesses.

“The economic problems that they may see are real. If we end up having a higher number of virus incidents in our community, we want to be able to get the help. This is a good time to do the declaration,” Ball said.

Despite the emergency declaration, Adams wants to keep the city’s parks open.

“I encourage families – all in one household – could use those together. People from differing households could keep apart and enjoy the outdoors,” he said. “The governors order is to still get out. That’s the approach we’re taking on.”

Children may use the city’s playground equipment, but the city is stressing that they wash their hands after doing so. It’s also asking that children from separate households not play together while on the equipment.

The city also urged those using city tennis courts to play with those from the same household, and that there only two family members be on the court at a time.

“Playing doubles and crossing around each other can’t maintain that social space the way the governor required,” Adams said.

Adams believes that the COVID-19 Virus has spread further than what is being reported.

“I think we can be positive, we can be happy, but we also need to deal with the reality that is in front of us. If the (virus) goes too fast, it could overwhelm medical facilities. I think the government is trying to balance that with the economy and business – concepts of freedom – these kinds of actions by government entities (are) about all the great things that we have,” he said.

There have been no reports of COVID-19 in Sugar, but residents need to be realistic about the possibility of such happening, Adams said.

Fremont County recently reported its first case of the virus while Madison County has said it has two cases of the disease.

The Idaho Department of Health has said there are a total of 310 Gem State residents infected with the illness while six Idahoans have died from the disease. Nationally, the Center for Disease Control reports a total of 140,904 cases of COVID-19. It also states there have been 2,405 deaths from the disease.

While the city is concerned about COVID, Adams says that it’s not all bad news.

“There are some good news happening. We’re uniting at the same time,” he said.

On the city’s Facebook page, it urged anyone needing help to fill out a form to request assistance. It also asked that residents first seek the aid of family and friends before asking the city for help.

The form may be found at https://forms.gle/F5Bab5TV7vjaukzLA. For additional information call 208-356-7561.