On March 18, Barton County Commission Chairman Kenny Schremmer signed a Declaration of a State of Local Public Health Emergency as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the commission ratified the 60-day declaration two days later. Monday morning, the commission extended the declaration for another 60 days.

“This is good for the entire county,” Emergency Risk Manager Amy Miller said. It covers all cities, townships and school districts, as well as the county.

The reason for the move is to open the door for disaster assistance through the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Kansas Division of Emergency Management, she said. The resources would cover personal protective equipment and other supplies. 

It also cuts through paperwork, she said. “It provides for a smoother, quicker flow of supplies.”

“The current COVID-19 local public health emergency allows commission’s to do 60-day disaster declarations instead of the normal, statutory, seven-day disaster declarations,” Miller said. The county is coming to the end of its first 60-day declaration so it needed to be continued for another 60 days, unless terminated earlier.

“By adopting this resolution, it allows us to continue to ask for PPE and other supplies from the Kansas Division Of Emergency Management, as well as allowing us to render other aid and assistance as asked for by local agencies and departments.”

“This isn’t really any significantly different than when we do a disaster declaration after a flood or a storm, or something like that?” said Commissioner Jennifer Schartz.

“No, just because of the current situation, it was allowed for us to do a 60-day declaration so now we don’t have to come in every week and do another week by week basis,” Miller said.

Commissioner Jim Daily asked if during that last 60 days, the county had received the emergency items Miller had requested.

“I received the items that I’ve asked for if they were available to receive,” Miller said. “There’s been a lot of demand through the Kansas Division Of Emergency Management and for supplies. And so they must ration it out to all the counties as it was requested.”

“Do we feel like we’ve gotten what we need?” Schartz said.

“I think everyone has been extremely judicious with their supplies and everyone’s trying to make them go as long as they can,” Miller said. “They of course go first to their suppliers. And they can’t get anything, then they request items through me.”

But, “no one has requested outlandish items, or an outlandish amount,” she said. “Everybody’s very understanding and willing to share back and forth, and make things go as long as they possibly can and use them to the best of their ability.”