With rapidly dropping cases and a successful vaccine roll-out, the City of Jackson’s COVID-19 Local State of Emergency is coming to an end. By order of Mayor Derek Dobies, the emergency declaration will officially end at 12:00 a.m. on Thursday, July 1.
The end of the Local State of Emergency order means the following for the City:
- The Jackson City Council will resume in-person meetings in the City Council Chambers.
- All City Boards and Commissions will resume in-person meetings.
- Capacity limits in City facilities will be lifted.
- The MLK Center will hold two final vaccine clinics on Thursday, July 1 and Thursday, July 8 from 1-5 p.m.
The emergency declaration signed by Mayor Dobies on March 17, 2020 allowed City leaders to activate the City’s Emergency Operations Plan. The following is a summary of key actions taken under the Local State of Emergency:
- City staff working to form the Jackson COVID-19 Action Network (JCAN), an organization that responded to human service needs during the pandemic.
- Using the Boos Center as a distribution point for more than 1 million pounds of food and thousands of basic need items.
- The Jackson Fire Department joining forces with Summit Township firefighters in a special unit that responded to COVID-19 emergencies.
- The City Council switching to virtual meetings to continue the important work of serving residents, holding 28 meetings over Zoom.
- Allocating more than $756,000 in federal relief funds to programs for residents to avoid water shutoffs, evictions and foreclosures.
- Serving over 18,000 free meals to residents in need at the MLK Center with the assistance of Consumers Energy and other community partners. This program also kept restaurants open and employees working.
- Collaborating with Henry Ford Allegiance Health to hold weekly COVID-19 vaccine clinics at the MLK Center, distributing more than 1,100 vaccine doses in three months.
Mayor Derek Dobies urges residents to get vaccinated to continue the battle against COVID. “It’s clear that the pandemic response is moving in the right direction, and lifting the emergency order is a reflection of that,” Mayor Dobies said. “Further actions will be taken by the City to make sure we continue a thoughtful and caring response.”
The first in-person meeting of the Jackson City Council is Tuesday, July 13 at 6:30 p.m. Meetings will continue to be broadcast on Comcast Cable Channel 21, the City website, and City Facebook page.