By Steuart Pittman
Yesterday I put out a press release announcing some details about how Anne Arundel County will proceed within Governor Hogan’s Phase 1 reopening.
Those details are important, so I will review them. But before I do I must address something much more important.
It was eleven weeks ago that our schools were closed. Then, non-essential businesses were closed. Then, a stay-at-home order was put in place. All of these were decisions made by our Governor and they were applied across the state with the support of most Marylanders, including myself.
I held weekly Virtual Town Halls from the outset. I made strong statements in support of federal and state action, described outstanding work by county agencies to protect and serve our residents, and told stories of community groups coming together to support their neighbors.
We were proud of what we had done, and so were most of our residents. We led the state in essential employee child care planning, public reporting on positive cases by zip code, strike teams in congregate housing, universal contact tracing and case management, a comprehensive health equity initiative, the first Eviction Prevention Program, and the first small business grant program for customer and employee protection.
“We’re all in this together” had a ring of truth to it.
On May 13 Governor Hogan announced the beginning of Maryland Strong - Roadmap to Recovery - Phase 1.
By that time President Trump had encouraged protesters to mobilize against stay-at-home orders, suggesting that they were government over-reach and a violation of individual rights.
Small businesses were nearing that point of no return, when the weight of debt becomes too heavy a burden to bear. Frustrated applicants for unemployment insurance had gone too long with no income and no answers. Parents were desperate to get their kids out of the house, and eager to get back to work, but concerned about the absence of child care, a concern that still exists today.
With a failing safety net and a flattening curve, people were exactly where our public health professionals said we’d be if our containment efforts were effective. People were restless.
Central Maryland county executives, the ones leading counties where nearly 90% of the state’s positive cases are recorded, were surprised by the Governor’s May 13 announcement.
On a call the day before (the last of his weekly calls with us), he suggested that the announcement might include curbside pickup at retail businesses and outdoor religious gatherings. The next day he announced that 50% of fire code capacity would be allowed inside both nonessential retail and houses of worship.
During that same announcement, the governor left it to each county and each municipality to move forward at their own pace.
I cannot overstate the impact of that announcement. On social media, it was like lighting a match in a room with a gas leak. People now had local targets for their frustration, their own local governments.
I, like my peers in the big 7 counties, consulted with our health officer and made a decision to move forward cautiously. At that time Maryland was listed as “trending poorly” on CovidExitStrategy.org, and our positivity rate was the highest in the country. The four pillars in the governor’s roadmap were not actually metrics, and with the responsibility for reopening decisions transferred to counties, we needed our own metrics to guide decisions and inform our residents. We established them.
Before May 13, our local government efforts were primarily focused on meeting our residents’ needs: establishing our food distribution system, creating our Eviction Prevention Program, calling our seniors every week to check in on them, creating our small business Employee and Customer Protection grant program, and a list far too long to cover today.
After May 13, a very complex and controversial process of reopening began, county by county and in some cases municipality by municipality. It seems simple, but every county is learning that it’s a complex puzzle where every piece must fit. Here is where we stand in Anne Arundel county - The Best Place - For All.
First, our health metrics must demonstrate that we can begin a recovery that is likely to continue. In the past week, we went from three goals achieved to seven, out of twelve, with real progress underway on the others. The big development is that our testing capacity is growing, and that (combined with our universal contact tracing and case management program) allows us to isolate the virus in a way that we could not just a week ago.
The second area of good news is that our businesses and some of their trade associations have invented new ways to operate with very little chance of spreading the virus. I learned yesterday on a call with 60 faith leaders that they are doing the same. Our local institutions are fully committed to winning this battle, and they are looking to government as a partner that listens and leads to create a level playing field and a safe path to recovery.
The third part of the reopening puzzle is government regulation and redeployment of staff. Outdoor seating at restaurants normally requires a permit. Public pools are required by state law to be inspected before opening. Our office of law and permitting staff are cutting red tape like it’s never been cut before, to make reopening possible. I want to thank all of my staff for putting in the long hours and thinking outside of the government box to allow us to move forward quickly.
As a result of this progress, beginning today at 5pm -
Non-essential retail businesses that are currently operating under curbside pickup only may open to customers. The maximum number of occupants will be calculated based on 150 square feet per person. I will note here that we are the first county in Maryland to shift from a fire code standard to one based on floor space.
Some have questioned why the area we chose is larger than what is required for 6 foot distancing between two set points, and the answer is that we want people to be able to move within the walls of the building while still maintaining a distance.
Businesses will be required to have protective measures in place to encourage physical distancing, and face coverings will be required for everyone in the store. Specific details and guidance are available on our Road to Recovery page at aacounty.org.
Foodservice establishments, which include restaurants, bars, and social clubs with dining facilities, may serve food and beverages for consumption in outdoor seating areas in accordance with state guidance. Our county Office of Planning and Zoning will authorize outdoor seating as a temporary use for up to 180 days, until or unless the emergency is lifted or revised by Executive Order. A special permit is not required for this temporary use, if it complies with the standards set forth in our guidance.
I should note here that without the emergency powers granted to us by our County Council, this opening would not have been possible today.
Barbers and beauty salons may open for hair services only. The maximum number of occupants will be calculated based on a smaller 100 square feet per person due to the necessary proximity of employee and customer.
In addition to these openings, starting today at 5pm, our parks will reopen…pavilions by reservation, dog parks, and beaches, with the warning that Governor Hogan’s ban on gatherings of more than ten people is still in effect.
Swimming at county or community beaches is no longer prohibited, but swimmers are warned that no routine bacteria testing has been conducted. That testing should be completed within two weeks.
And finally, private youth camps may operate in groups of ten or less according to state guidance.
Limited activities on county park athletic fields will be allowed starting on Monday in accordance with state guidelines.
Public and community outdoor pools will be open in the coming weeks as they pass their state-mandated inspections. We are awaiting further explanation from the state on conflicting pool capacity guidance.
As noted earlier, I hosted a call yesterday with 60 of our county’s faith leaders. Each one has continued their ministry, and all are working on plans to responsibly transition to indoor services, some as soon as possible and others as late as fall, depending on conditions.
I and our Health Officer believe that socially distanced indoor worship is possible with safety measures in place, and we are reviewing the information we have collected to establish guidelines that will be released in the coming days.
The following facilities remain closed, most in accordance with state requirements: senior centers, fitness centers, movie theaters, common areas in shopping malls, nail salons, playgrounds, county park visitor centers and restrooms, indoor aquatic centers, and recreation centers.
This progress comes with risk. People will be out and about, and our mobility metrics will gradually return to pre-covid levels. Anne Arundel County had two new positive cases recorded on March 23rd when businesses were shut down, and yesterday we had 108. The virus is being carried by more people today than it was back in March, so we are more vulnerable now that we were then.
If we fail to wear masks and distance ourselves from one another the spike in infections will be larger and faster than what we’ve seen so far, and it will happen as our hospital COVID capacity declines due to the return of non-COVID patients. The history of pandemics warns us about the strength of the second wave.
As we reopen, we are shifting the responsibility to limit the spread of this virus from government to the public. So when we say “We’re all in this together,” the words have more meaning and urgency at this moment than ever.
Dr. George Everly is a world-renown psychologist who specializes in disaster recovery. In our recent town hall he issued a warning. “Division delays recovery,” he said. Please remember those three words. Division Delays Recover.
We have a choice, and it’s one that must be made both by our residents and our leaders.
We can choose either Maryland Strong or Maryland Divided, but we can’t have both. I say that to Governor Hogan in the hope that he will re-engage with local leaders. I say it to ambitious local politicians who seem deaf to the pain caused by wedges driven too deep. And I say it to the good people I represent, even if they believe I have over-reached and used the tools of government in ways they don’t support.
Online threats may feel satisfying in a moment of bravado, but they are an insult and a nuisance to our public servants in law enforcement. Calls by elected officials for residents to break our laws in protest are cowardly attempts to attract attention. Demands to weaken state and local government while seeking public assistance in a time of need ring hollow.
We are fighting a war on two fronts - One against this virus and another against poverty, hunger, and homelessness - the harsh results of economic loss.
Every one of us wants to win both battles. Our preferred strategies may not always be aligned, but we are on the same side.
So I plead with every resident of this county. Please, embrace this moment, be kind to your neighbors, and finish the job we have started.