Clear Creek County Adds Community Testing Dates, Extends COVID-19 Emergency Declaration, Modifies County Road Closure and Begins Recovery Efforts
FREE CLEAR CREEK COUNTY COVID-19 TESTING
To achieve the County goal of testing 10% of the County population, additional free COVID-19 drive-through testing days have been scheduled for Clear Creek County residents and employees. Anyone who lives or works anywhere in Clear Creek County is eligible. Please call the County Public Health Nurse at 303-670-7545 for a phone screening and to schedule your appointment. You MUST have an appointment; no drop-ins will be tested.
As of May 21, Clear Creek County case numbers have increased to 16 confirmed positive with continued County Public Health monitoring. There has been one COVID-related death of a Clear Creek County resident.
COUNTY EMERGENCY DECLARATION EXTENDED FOR ANOTHER 30 DAYS
The Clear Creek County Board of County Commissioners (BoCC) approved a second extension of its Local Disaster Emergency Declaration, now in place until June 15. This extension allows the county to continue with appropriate response plans and apply for emergency-related funds and resources.
COUNTY ROAD CLOSURE MODIFIED AND EXTENDED
At the May 14 County Board of Health meeting, the original temporary County Road Closure Order was modified to allow non-resident customers of all currently allowed businesses located on County roads to travel on County roads for the sole purpose of accessing those businesses. The revision allows for travel to/from work for Critical Businesses, and to perform Critical Government Functions and travel to Non-Critical Retail and Office-Based Businesses and Personal Services to work, supply or keep an appointment with the businesses that are open. The order still excludes travel for the primary purpose of recreation for non-residents. The intent of this Order remains to protect the Clear Creek community and First Responders. For details/questions, call the County Road Closure Line at 303-679-2385.
RECOVERY PLANNING
To guide County-wide COVID-19 recovery efforts, the following groups have been formed:
• Policy Group–Leaders from the County, Municipalities, School District and other governmental and business organizations tasked with making policy recommendations to the governing boards of those jurisdictions so that the COVID-based policies enacted will be aligned to the extent possible. Each jurisdiction retains its sovereignty to make its own decisions in the best interest of its community. This group began meeting on April 29.
• Recovery and Resiliency Committee–This group of business and government leaders began meeting on May 5 to chart strategies to bring about community recovery from the COVID crisis. Three subcommittees have been formed and began meeting on May 18–Restaurants, Large Venues, Guides and Outfitters.
SAFE RE-OPENING OF COUNTY GOVERNMENT
Clear Creek County continues to follow the statewide Safer at Home Order (Public Health Order 20-28) through May 26. This Order is applicable in all areas of Clear Creek County, including municipalities. This order strongly advises that Coloradans stay at home except for essential activities. Critical businesses are open and non-critical businesses are operating with protective restrictions.
The phased re-opening of Clear Creek County Government offices, which began on May 4 with safety precautions, will continue through May 26. Public access is permitted Monday through Friday, from 10:00am to 2:00pm for County Administration, Assessor, Clerk & Recorder, and Treasurer; and from 8:00am to 5:00pm for County Courts & Probation. Check with individual departments for their detailed hours and services. Remote public services continue to be encouraged. The County transit system (Prospector) continues to be suspended.
At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the County formed an emergency response team, which continues to meet, plan and respond to the COVID-19 public health crisis daily, in addition to fulfilling the responsibilities of their full-time county government jobs.
BoCC online meetings continue to be held on Tuesdays at 9:00am, with COVID-19 Updates at approximately 11:00am. For more information, please visit the Clear Creek County website and County COVID-19 Emergency Response Information.
THE COVID-19 THREAT REMAINS
Nearly three months since the first confirmed case of COVID-19 in Colorado, there are now nearly 23,000 cases in 60 of our 64 counties, and more than 1,000 Coloradans have died due to the coronavirus. Please continue to help minimize the spread of COVID-19 and only leave your residence for essential services; when you do go out into public spaces, social distance, wear appropriate personal protective equipment such as a cloth face covering, and wash or sanitize your hands frequently. Stay healthy, stay informed, and stay the course, Clear Creek.