7. Selectboard Declaration of and Response to COVID-19 State of Emergency

On Wednesday, April 1, 2020 the Selectboard approved the following recommendations, made to them by the Emergency Management Team, in Response to COVID-19 State of Emergency:

Town Buildings
At this time all Town buildings with the exception of the Police Station will remain closed to the public through Friday, May 1st.  The Center for Disease Control (CDC) is now recommending social distancing until at least April 30, 2020.  Town buildings are tentatively scheduled to re-open on Monday, May 4th depending on CDC guidelines, Governor Baker’s executive orders, recommendations from the Massachusetts Department of Health, the Wellfleet Board of Health and the Wellfleet Health Agent.

Shelter-In-Place Advisory
All Wellfleet residents are advised to follow the CDC guidelines as well as directives from the Governor’s office.  Residents are advised to shelter in place through Friday, May 1st.  New arrivals to Wellfleet are advised to self-quarantine upon arrival for a minimum of fourteen days.  New arrivals are advised to bring enough food and supplies to last for fourteen days during the self-quarantine.

Recreation Programs
Organized Wellfleet Recreation programs will be postponed until Saturday, May 2nd at the earliest.

Recreation Areas
To limit social gatherings and interactions the Wellfleet recreation areas are closed to the public through Friday, May 1st.  This includes all playgrounds, tennis courts, basketball courts and the skateboard park.  Residents are encouraged to exercise while maintaining a distance of a minimum of six feet from each other.  Trash cans will be removed from all recreation areas.

While it is an inconvenience, portable restrooms will not be placed at locations in Town until Saturday, May 2nd at the earliest.  The Town does not have the capacity to clean and sanitized the portable restrooms appropriately to limit the spread of the virus.  This date is subject to changed based on updated information.

Beaches
Signage will be installed at all beaches reminding people that:

  • They need to maintain a 6 foot distance from each other
  • For out of town visitors a notice that the Governor has issued a 14 day quarantine. 

Trash cans will be removed from all beaches.  Trash may be contaminated and pose a health risk to staff.  Beach visitors are required to ‘carry in and carry out’ any trash they create and dispose of any trash at home.

Notices will be placed on car windshields of any out-of-state vehicles in beach parking lots. 

See sample notice on page 2 of this document, here: https://www.wellfleet-ma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif5166/f/uploads/response...


DECLARATION OF EMERGENCY

WHEREAS, the 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) is a highly contagious and potentially fatal respiratory disease, the prevalence of which is increasing rapidly throughout the world, inclusive of the United States and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts; and

WHEREAS, on March 11, 2020 the World Health Organization designated the COVID-19 outbreak a Pandemic Health Emergency; and

WHEREAS, on March 10, 2020, the Governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts issued a Declaration of a State of Emergency to Respond to COVID-19; and

WHEREAS, on March 13, 2020, the President of the United States announced a national declaration of emergency; and

WHEREAS, on March 15, 2020, Governor Baker announced emergency actions to respond to the evolving COVID-19 public health emergency impacting the Commonwealth, including prohibitions on public gatherings of twenty-five or more people and prohibiting on-premises consumption of food or drink at bars and restaurants from March 17, 2020 until April 6, 2020, as well as suspension of elementary and secondary school educational operations from March 17, 2020 until April 6, 2020; and

WHEREAS, the Wellfleet Selectboard has determined that COVID-19 presents a major disaster which poses an immediate threat to public health, safety, and general welfare of people residing both within and outside of Wellfleet, Massachusetts; and

WHEREAS, the Wellfleet Selectboard has determined that immediate public action is needed in order to prevent or minimize the spread of COVID-19 by and among the people of Wellfleet; and

WHEREAS, it is critical to take additional steps to prepare for, respond to, and mitigate the spread of COVID-19 to protect the health and welfare of the people of Wellfleet; and

WHEREAS, declaring a state of emergency will facilitate and expedite the use of resources to protect persons from the impacts of COVID-19, including but not limited to emergency expenditures pursuant to Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 44, Section 31 and limitations on operating hours and access to public buildings; and

NOW THEREFORE, we, the Selectboard of Wellfleet ,Massachusetts, hereby declare that as of 6:10, March 17, 2020, a state of emergency exists in the Town of Wellfleet, This declaration of emergency shall remain in effect until further notice is given, pursuant to our judgment that the conditions leading to this declaration no longer exist.

Date: March 17, 2020