PICKAWAY – Pickaway County has been preparing for months for the potential spread of COVID-19 and is carrying out previously adopted response plans developed by the Pickaway County General Health (PCGHD), the Pickaway County Emergency Management Agency (EMA), and the Board of Commissioners. These entities are meeting daily and coordinating with all relevant authorities at the federal, state, and local level, to ensure that
Pickaway County is responding to COVID-19 in a manner which protects the health of our residents while continuing to fulfill our governmental responsibilities. The Board of Commissioners is encouraged by the work done thus far and wishes to make the public, and our partners in local government, aware of certain other actions being taken.
Consistent with Governor DeWine’s guidance to date, Pickaway County government offices remain open for business, and essential government services will continue to be provided. That said, each individual elected office holder has the discretion to alter or limit hours of operation, and staffing levels, as they see fit. For those employees who can effectively work from home, the county’s Information Technology (IT) has taken steps to allow that to occur. Existing leave policies remain in effect, and appointing authorities may approve the use of comp time, sick leave, vacation, and/or unpaid leave as they deem appropriate. The county’s maintenance department is increasing the cleaning services provided in every county building to help combat the potential spread of the virus. A sign-in sheet has been placed at the security desk of the courthouse so that we can better
determine whether visitors have come into contact with COVID-19. Non-essential travel by county employees is discouraged.
While county offices remain open, we do encourage residents to defer non-essential visits to county offices whenever possible. Each office has an online presence and can conduct substantial business by telephone and e-mail. If a visit is necessary, however, we are working to keep visitors, and county employees, safe. In
addition to steps described above, everyone should follow the protocols for handwashing and minimizing physical contact which can help prevent the spread of the virus.
The Board of Commissioners will be meeting with county office holders and department heads on Tuesday 3/17 to discuss other aspects of the county’s response to COVID-19 in greater detail. This situation is obviously changing rapidly, and the Board of Commissioners will continue to evaluate the county’s response as
those changes occur. This is a difficult time, but we are confident that by working together, communicating openly and honestly, and remaining focused on effective prevention strategies, Pickaway County will meet this challenge.
For further questions regarding Pickaway County governmental operations during the COVID-19
situation, please contact County Administrator April Dengler at [email protected],
Emergency Management Director Darrin Flick, [email protected], and/or President of the
Pickaway County Board of Commissioners Harold Henson, [email protected]. The
Commissioners office may be reached by telephone at 740-474-6093.
