The Township of Ramara is bucking the trend among local municipalities by not declaring a state of emergency during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Council and the township’s emergency management group recently decided against making the declaration.
“If we declare an emergency, what would really change is not a lot,” said Mayor Basil Clarke. “The policies we’ve put in place — we really feel we’re ahead of the curve.”
With both the County of Simcoe and the province having declared a state of emergency, Clarke said those levels of government can provide any needed assistance to the township.
A declaration by the township “doesn’t give me any more executive powers and it doesn’t give us any more authority,” the mayor said.
“Declaring an emergency is basically calling for help, and we don’t need any more help at the moment.”
Clarke said he is comfortable with the measures the township has taken so far. That includes authorizing the fire department to switch to “Level A” if necessary.
Level A would mean the fire department would attend all ambulance assistance calls except for those where a case of COVID-19 is suspected. It’s a way to help ease the burden on paramedics, should there be a high number of calls as a result of the pandemic.
Township council and staff are taking their own precautionary steps. Only five council members and two staff are on hand for council meetings, with others taking part over the phone. Those in attendance are staying more than six feet apart from one another, Clarke said.
Council has also approved tax-relief measures. On Monday, the decision was made to defer tax due dates and penalties for both residents and businesses.
All township facilities are closed to the public, but essential services are still running.
Updates are being posted to the township’s social media channels and its website. Residents seeking more information can visit ramara.ca or call 705-484-5374.
