NATCHEZ, Miss. — The Board of Aldermen today voted to extend Natchez’ stay-at-home order after hearing a local physician say the coronavirus will get worse in Natchez-Adams County.
“We’re dealing with a lot in Natchez. We have not reached a plateau yet. The plateau is going to last into May,” said internal medicine doctor Blane Mire “We’re still in the middle of this. … The storm is not over.”
Mire said his Natchez clinic has tested more than 23 people with the coronavirus. He said three people from Natchez-Adams County have died from the respiratory illness, including one reported Monday and one today. There were five or six coronavirus patients on hospital ventilators at Merit Health Natchez, Mire said.
He did say the hospital is adequately equipped for treating coronavirus sufferers. “We may be overprepared — and that’s OK,” Mire told the city board and mayor.
The Board of Aldermen today extended the city’s stay-at-home order until April 30 with the option to go beyond that if deemed appropriate.
The directive is much like what the board imposed in March. An additional ban enacted today is on Natchez funerals being held with more than 10 people together. Mississippi currently has a shelter-in-place order until at least next Monday, as ordered by Gov. Tate Reeves. The governor did decide today to close Mississippi schools for the rest of the semester as long-distance learning via the Internet now becomes the norm for classes.
The Board of Aldermen today postponed a decision on whether to further delay the city elections until June and July. Aldermen will seek state attorneys’ opinions on the legalities of finishing the election process after the current term of office ends June 30.
City attorney Bob Latham said delaying the elections until June and July could prompt litigation and force a judge to rule if this is legal. The board decided to seek legal guidance from the state attorney general and secretary of state on whether to again delay the elections. They were to begin April 7 with primaries, but the board in March reset the elections to May and June.
Urging the board to move the May 12 primary election to June, election commissioner Larry Gardner expressed concerns that the health of voters, candidates and pollworkers will be imperiled if person-to-person campaigning and polling takes place in the next few weeks. As proposed by Gardner, primary runoffs would be June 23 and the general election July 14. That would have the new mayor and Board of Aldermen not taking office until after the current term of office ends June 30.
Mayor Darryl Grennell is not running for re-election. Three candidates are vying to replace him. Three incumbent aldermen are being challenged while three others have no opponents.
City officials did encourage Natchez voters to vote absentee if possible prior to the municipal election if the stay-at-home order remains during the pandemic. Current state law does allow voters to submit absentee ballots if they’re temporarily “physically disabled.” Gardner said this should apply to people directed by government leaders to stay home and not gather in crowds. Absentee ballots applications can be obtained by phoning or emailing the city clerk’s office: 601 445-7507 or sfortenberry@natchez.ms.us
Among other issues, the board discussed the expected loss of tax revenues for running the city as the COVID-19 pandemic cripples the Natchez economy for the duration. Spending cuts in city services could be necessary. “There are going to be some hard decisions. The shadows of this pandemic is going to have adverse effects on our revenues,” said Ward 6 Alderman Dan Dillard.
The board and mayor conducted their meeting via teleconference to avoid being together in one room. After the three-hour open session, they held a two-hour teleconference closed to the public to discuss personnel issues and the potential lease of city-owned property in the Natchez Under-The-Hill section by the Mississippi River.
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