Sumter County Council declares State of Emergency in County

SUMTER, SC (WOLO)– Sumter County Council declared a State of Emergency on Wednesday.

According to officials, Sumter County Council held an Emergency Meeting to discuss an Emergency Ordinance regarding the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) and its impact on Sumter County.

County Council voted unanimously to approve the ordinance, which officials say authorizes Sumter County Administrator Gary Mixon to take any necessary actions for protections of the health, safety and welfare of Sumter County citizens and visitors including, but not limited to, the following:

–         Utilize all available resources of county government as reasonably necessary to cope with the COVID-19 emergency: and

–         Transfer the direction, personnel or functions of county departments and agencies or units thereof for purposes of facilitating or performing emergency services as necessary or desirable; and

–         Contract, requisition and compensate for goods and services from public and private sources; and

–         Prescribe routes, modes of transportation and destinations in connection with evacuations or relocations, if any: and

–         Suspend or limit non emergency activities and prohibit public assemblies; and

–         Any and all other actions deemed necessary by the Administrator for the preservation of the health, safety and welfare of citizens, residents, and visitors of Sumter County, South Carolina.

Sumter County Administrator Gary Mixon, standing, at right, speaks to members of Sumter County Council about noon on Wednesday, March 18, 2020, in Council Chambers as Council unanimously voted to declare a State of Emergency in Sumter County, S.C. in response to the impact of the coronavirus.