In light of comments made by the Los Angeles County Public Health Department director, the Santa Clarita City Council is set to discuss the adoption of a resolution in opposition to the extension of any stay-at-home restrictions past Friday.
“We always expected the order that it’s set to expire on Friday would be extended in some capacity,” Mayor Cameron Smyth said, “however, hearing the Public Health director recommending an extension until July 31, without any alterations or amendments at this point,
is cause for alarm. So, at the council meeting tonight, we are going to discuss the idea of adopting a resolution in opposition to that recommendation.”
That being said, the county’s Board of Supervisors has since issued a statement in response to several reports that suggested the county was extending the “Safer at Home” order until the end of July, which read:
“During testimony at today’s Board of Supervisors meeting regarding the extension of rent and mortgage relief, Dr. (Barbara) Ferrer indicated that there would be a health officer order in place over the next few months while we gradually relax the order. During this time, we will still move forward with our efforts to ease restrictions aligned with appropriate public health safety protocols,” the statement read. “Changes to the order will be continuously considered after reviewing the data every three to four weeks during this time.”
Even so, Smyth says the council already had planned a COVID-19 discussion, and that council members still plan on discussing the resolution.
“We are already, in Santa Clarita and throughout the county, seeing what 60 days of almost zero economic activity has done to our business owners,” Smyth said, “and to extend that for another two and a half months, without any pathway for businesses to reopen, will ravage not only our economy, but, quite frankly, the economy of the state given L.A. County’s importance and size.”
“I think it’s important that all cities and residents voice their concerns (and) opinions to the county prior to any formal action on what the new order will look like,” Smyth added.
This is a breaking news story and will be updated as more information becomes available.
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