An Open Letter from the Franklin County Board of Commissioners

As the Franklin County Board of Commissioners, we share the concerns of Franklin County residents who continue to feel the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. We, too, are frustrated with the restrictions surrounding this crisis. But, we do not believe it is in the best interest of our residents or our businesses to act against the Governor’s Office protocol. Therefore, according to a majority of the Board of Commissioners, Franklin County’s official position is that Franklin County will remain in the Red Phase of Governor Wolf’s plan to reopen Pennsylvania until such time as the Governor deems otherwise.  

The Board of Franklin County Commissioners will take a reasonable and legal approach to support reopening our county as soon as it is safe to do so. We will utilize the orderly and effective systems that are part of our nation’s democracy, advocating for our county’s needs during this crisis to Governor Wolf and others. 

One of our primary duties as the Board of Commissioners is to protect the health and safety of the residents of Franklin County. Our decisions are, and have always been, thoughtful, measured, based on facts, and made in the best interest of our county. It is imperative that we make decisions based on long-term, sustainable solutions and not short-term fixes.

Together, Franklin County has made progress to slow the spread of COVID-19. We do not want to jeopardize this progress. We want to honor  the sacrifices made by all of us to achieve the success to date. Our local healthcare teams keep us informed of the impact of COVID-19 on Franklin County’s residents and hospitals. We are confident in our local healthcare systems and are sensitive to the impact that reopening could have on them, their staff, their resources and their patients.

Our goal is to ensure that the more vulnerable among us are protected when community activities increase. We will continue to seek guidance from public health experts, including the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency, the Pennsylvania Department of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.  

While we may not agree with every decision made at the state level, we do not encourage defiance by residents or businesses. We urge everyone to stay the course, to continue physical distancing precautions, and to wear masks when in public. 

Over the past couple months, we have seen county residents join together in the face of this pandemic, putting life as they knew it on hold, for the wellbeing of their neighbor. Franklin County, working together, will recover. 

Open Letter.pdf

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