Officials from Summit County, Park City and local business are taking some important steps this week toward the next major phase of dealing with the COVID-19 outbreak.
Summit County Manager Tom Fisher said they hope to enter the Stabilization phase—easing back into business after the lockdown and the Urgent phase of the past couple of months. But that would be subject to the medical data, to ensure public health and safety.
County officials reviewed the plan at the Tuesday night Council of Governments meeting.
The Summit County Manager said they’re aiming to set a Stabilization Order on May 1st, working with the different sectors of the business community and following Governor Herbert’s ‘Utah Leads Together’ program.
“We’ll be following the epidimelogical data to determine what will open at that point. But the most important part right now is that we’re in a process of developing the operating plans for the next phase, operating under the Orange Level of risk projected in the governor’s plan.”
The governor’s plan is envisioning four color-coded Risk Levels—from Red, for the Urgent phase; Orange, for Stabilization; Yellow; and finally Green, signifying a new normal, with the least restrictions.
County officials have said that the change to Stabilization will be more like a dimmer switch, rather than all the lights coming on at once.
Fisher said they’re projecting that this phase will stretch for three to five months.
“It’s not gonna be a situation where in May, we’re in Stabilization and in June, we’re in full Recovery and back to normal, or the new normal, as the plan projects. We’re gonna be in Stabilization for quite a long time, so we have to build our protocols around our industries property so that we can move into that and be able to operate in that method for a while.”
The county has asked for applications from local citizens, to represent sectors of the local economy and work with the county on the Stabilization phase.
Fisher and Deputy County Manager Janna Young said they received about 180 applications as of Monday. The major representatives for the sectors were selected on Tuesday.
At the Council of Governments meeting Tuesday, Young listed the sectors they are considering for their plan.
“Accommodation lodging, administrative support, arts and entertainment, bars and nightclubs, caterers, child care, construction, events, mass gatherings, faith-based organizations, food service, gyms, fitness providers, again, differentiated between large establishments and small establishments. And then we also have kind of as sub-group of that working on sports programming or sports leagues, health care and social assistance, home services, things like house cleaners, window treatments, movers, flooring, manufacturing, real estate, recreation, and then the recreation outfitters, resorts, retail, salons, summer camps, transportation, warehousing and waste management.”
Again, Young warned businesses and citizens that the next phase isn’t a quick return to normalcy.
”It’s not like a light switch gets turned on, on May 1st, where all bets are off, everyone can open business, return to work. I know there’s been a lot of confusion in the community about that, calling in our Community Concerns line, wondering if “Can I just open my business May 1st. Can I start making reservations May 1st. Do I have to apply and offer my own plan in order to re-open.” And none of that is true. It all depends on this health order, and when it gets issued, and what is specified in that health order.”
Deputy Summit County Manager Janna Young.
