The Township of Augusta is following in the footsteps of neighbouring municipalities. Mayor Doug Malanka declared a state of emergency on Friday, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The declaration allows for the use of all available options to protect the health, safety and welfare of its residents, according to a press release issued by the township.
The municipal state of emergency will remain in effect until further notice. It streamlines the decision-making process through the Emergency Control Group, so it can act quickly when needed.
The press release states that ‘declaring an emergency is not an indication that the crisis has escalated in our community. It means that, as a township, the priority is to be proactive and prepared.’
The declaration will ensure that Augusta Township’s municipal government can continue to respond quickly to the pandemic and any other events that arise in the weeks ahead.
The township says that it needs residents who feel they aren’t at-risk personally to recognize how serious, and potentially deadly, this pandemic can be.