Effective March 16, 2020, and subject to specific conditions, the Governor of the State of Texas has temporarily suspended portions of the Open Meetings Act requirements. In order to minimize public gatherings, the Corsicana City Council meeting scheduled for Monday, March 23, 2020, will be closed to the public.

The meeting will be livestreamed, as always. Citizens may access the live broadcast by visiting the City of Corsicana website at www.cityofcorsicana.com then choose “Broadcasts” from the row of icons across the screen, then under “Live Broadcasts of Meetings” and select “City Council Meetings” to view the meeting.

The complete agenda packet is located on the same website under “Government” then “Agenda Center” and “City Council”. Select the agenda for the March 23, 2020, meeting. In addition, there will be a call-in number available for citizens to ask questions or participate. The number is 903-654-4842. Members of the public that wish to communicate with the Council may do so through email. Email addresses for all Council members are on the website. Those individuals that require special accommodations should contact 903-654-4803 with any requests.

In an effort to keep the citizens of Corsicana updated and informed, I have been monitoring communications from state and national leaders. President Donald Trump has proclaimed the COVID-19 outbreak a national emergency in the United States. Texas Governor Greg Abbott has declared a state of disaster for all counties in Texas. Judge H.M. Davenport has made the same declaration for Navarro County.

The City of Corsicana and Navarro County have already taken significant measures to prepare for and prevent the spread of COVID-19. The President has recommended that all gatherings of greater than 10 people be cancelled or postponed. This is consistent with guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Please consider this as a recommendation for the next 15 days and at that time the situation will be reassessed. Although recommendations for gathering numbers differ, citizens should use prudent judgement for any trips outside their home and stay at home if at all possible.

There have been no confirmed cases in Navarro County and these measures are precautionary. I hope the citizens will adhere to these recommendations so that the impacts of this virus will be lessened. Citizens who exhibit symptoms should contact their primary care physician or utilize telemedicine if at all possible. For current information on the outbreak, citizens should visit the Navarro County Office of Emergency Management website at https://navarrocountyoem.org/index.php/coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19.

As of March 19, 2020, the Governor of the State of Texas has issued additional mandatory requirements for all Texans to follow in the fight against COVID-19:

Order No. 1
In accordance with the Guidelines from the President and the CDC, every person in Texas shall avoid social gatherings in groups of more than 10 people.

Order No. 2
In accordance with the Guidelines from the President and the CDC, people shall avoid eating or drinking at bars, restaurants, and food courts, or visiting gyms or massage parlors; provided, however, that the use of drive-thru, pickup, or delivery options is allowed and highly encouraged throughout the limited duration of this executive order.

Order No. 3
In accordance with the Guidelines from the President and the CDC, people shall not visit nursing homes or retirement or long-term care facilities unless to provide critical assistance.

Order No. 4
In accordance with the Guidelines from the President and the CDC, schools shall temporarily close.

This executive order does not prohibit people from visiting a variety of places, including grocery stores, gas stations, parks, and bank so long as the necessary precautions are maintained to reduce the transmission of COVID-19. This executive order does not mandate sheltering in place. All critical infrastructure will remain operational, domestic travel will remain unrestricted, and government entities and businesses will continue providing essential services. For offices and workplaces that remain open, employees should practice good hygiene and, where feasible, work from home in order to achieve optimum isolation from COVID-19. The more that people reduce their public contact, the sooner COVID-19 will be contained and the sooner this executive order will expire.

The executive order will be effective at midnight March 20, 2020, and will remain in place until April 3, 2020. There is still no confirmed case in Navarro County. Please adhere to the Governor’s orders so that we can reduce the spread of the virus and return to normal operations.