Elizabeth borough mayor declares state of emergency

By CHRISTINE HAINES
chaines@yourmvi.com
Elizabeth borough’s mayor declared a state of emergency in a proactive measure to allow officials to take rapid action if needed to combat the coronavirus.
There are currently no cases of coronavirus in Elizabeth. Mayor Barry Boucher’s declaration needs to be ratified by borough council, which had been expected to be done at the workshop meeting tonight, but that meeting and future meetings at the elementary center used for the meetings had to be canceled, according to solicitor Krisha DiMascio.
DiMascio said the elementary center is currently closed for cleaning.
The meeting was tentatively moved to the fire department social hall at 6 p.m., not to provide room for more individuals, but simply to have a place to meet. DiMascio said the situation is in a constant state of flux, and it is now possible that the council will need to meet partially or completely by telephone in order to comply with the current Centers for disease Control guidelines of limiting gatherings to 10 or fewer people.
“It’s open to the public, but if I get more than 10 people there, I’ll have to shut down the meeting,” DiMascio said.
There is only one item on the agenda, and that is the declaration of the state of emergency being taken as a precaution, DiMascio said.
DiMascio said recordings will be done whenever possible and will also be posted. DiMascio said that because of the state of emergency, some aspects of the state Sunshine Act and Right to Know Law are suspended.
Elizabeth borough is among 20 Allegheny County municipalities to declare a state of emergency.
Erik Arneson, executive director of the state Office of Open Records, said municipalities are urged to be as open as is practical for public health and safety at this time.
“There are going to be challenges complying with the Sunshine Act and Right to Know Law that we’ve never had before,” Arneson said. Agencies should be careful not to go too far. As long as agencies proceed cautiously and with an eye toward transparency, they will be fine.”
Arneson acknowledged that not all local agencies have the capability to stream meetings live and/or take live questions from the public, but every effort should be made to keep procedures transparent.
The office of Open Records offers advice for agencies for transparent operations under the state of emergency on its website, openrecordspennsylvania.com. The site notes that while some formalities may be suspended during a state of emergency, the suspension must be related to the emergency.