Benton officials want Inslee to cede COVID authority to counties

New Commissioner Will McKay drew support from his Benton County colleagues Tuesday in a push to get control of local COVID-19 restrictions from Gov. Jay Inslee.

In his first meeting as an elected county leader, McKay proposed a five-page resolution that calls for limiting the governor’s powers on a state of emergency proclamation without legislative approval.

He told his fellow commissioners, and the more than 80 people who logged on to the board’s live-streamed meeting, that local businesses have spent thousands of dollars to abide by various requirements during the coronavirus pandemic.

And yet they’re still suffering, he said.

It should be the choice of business owners — like restaurants, retail and gyms — if they want to open up, and of constituents whether they want to visit those locations at this time.

“It’s not us telling you, ‘Hey go open up your business right now and, oh by the way, you get a $10,000 (state Labor & Industries) fine and then we’re going to pay for it. That’s not what this resolution is saying,” said McKay.

“It’s basically saying, ‘Governor, let us have control of the county instead of him taking control of all the counties.”

Vent to Olympia

More than a half-dozen residents from around the county called in supporting McKay’s proposal, while one woman gave a statement in objection.

The Benton County Republican Party posted on its Facebook page that it endorses the document by McKay because it will “effectively reopen Benton County.”

Chairman Jerome Delvin and Commissioner Shon Small were both in agreement with the resolution, but wanted it made clear that taking this action doesn’t mean the county suddenly has executive power to open up everything immediately.

Small added that they need to continue venting to Olympia that “no shoe fits all,” and local governments should handle their own decisions.

Delvin asked McKay to get more to the point with the proposal and shorten it over the next few days. He will work with County Administrator Jerrod MacPherson.

Delvin also suggested they run it by civil prosecutors to make sure they are not putting taxpayers and the county at liability of legal action.

Then the board, which is not scheduled to meet again until Jan. 26, will hold a special meeting next week to adopt and sign the resolution.

Franklin County

Also Tuesday across the river, Franklin County commissioners heard from 10 residents — many of them Franklin County Republican Party officials — who called for businesses to reopen and for the board to meet in person.

No action was taken on an ordinance to reopen, but the Franklin County commissioners are developing a plan to open the meeting to the public for Jan. 19.

The Kennewick City Council will discuss “state and local authority regarding business reopening” at its Tuesday night meeting that was broadcast live on the city’s website.

In Benton County, Delvin ran the meeting from the board room while McKay and Small participated virtually.

McKay connected via live video and appeared to be in his new office in the Benton County Justice Center. He was sworn in Dec. 22, though his term did not start until Jan. 1.

Local control

McKay said he is “super excited” to work with Delvin and Small, and wanted to get their ideas on the proposed resolution before finalizing it.

“Basically at the end of the day we (want to) have it to where the elected officials have the say per our local areas, instead of the governor controlling our areas,” he said.

He shared that last Saturday he went to a Tri-Cities restaurant with his family to place a takeout order.

While waiting for their food to be prepared inside the empty restaurant, which he did not name, McKay said he asked if his family could sit down.

He said an employee told them, “It’s your choice. So we sat down and ate.”

Inslee and the Washington state Department of Health rolled out the new “Healthy Washington — Roadmap to Recovery” plan last week, based on new metrics. There are eight regional groups all starting again in Phase 1.

Benton and Franklin counties are grouped with Yakima, Kittitas, Walla Walla and Columbia counties in the new regional system, the Tri-City Herald previously reported.

The region, called South Central, had the worst scores of the state for two of the four areas the state considers — percent of positive COVID-19 tests and occupancy of intensive care unit beds.

It ranked second to worst for new COVID cases per population, but did better on hospital admissions based on population.

McKay said Tuesday that he jokingly called it “The Hunger Games” region after the dystopian science fiction novel and film series.

Elected officials are supposed to be the voice of the voters, but all of their voices have been silenced by state government, he said.

McKay said he earlier spoke with Yakima County Commissioner Amanda McKinney, and her board also supports this resolution.

If more counties take similar action, he said, maybe the message will get through to the governor and other state leaders and “knock some sense into them.”

‘Watch their back’

Franklin County commissioners on Jan. 19 will discuss a proposed ordinance that was written by Pasco City Councilman Pete Serrano. It did not get a majority support at the council’s Jan. 4 meeting.

Chairman Clint Didier previously said it is not about opening up Franklin County for business. He wants the commissioners to be able to tell restaurants and other restricted businesses that if they choose to risk a return to normal operations, “we will watch their back.”

Didier asked for it to be on the agenda for Tuesday’s meeting, but the prosecutor’s office only just finished reviewing the measure.

Even after discussing it next week, the commissioners will need to wait an additional week before voting since any ordinance requires a public hearing, and a 10-day notice.

The county anticipates opening board meetings to in-person public attendance on Jan. 19 when the current state rule expires.

For now, the number of people allowed inside the meeting room will likely be limited because of the space. The commissioners, along with attendees, will be asked to wear masks and maintain a 6-foot distance.

While members of the public suggested using the HAPO Center, formerly known as the TRAC Center, Commissioner Brad Peck pointed out that there are technical challenges for staff to get the recording and broadcasting equipment to work in the building.

One of the Franklin County Republicans, LaWanda Hatch, told commissioners Tuesday that she doesn’t believe the restrictions will ever end.

She pointed out that when the Capital Hill Autonomous Zone was formed in Seattle, Inslee did not issue any orders because he did not want to usurp Mayor Jenny Durkan’s authority. She believes the COVID restrictions will be no different.

“I have ancestors that were part of the Underground Railroad,” she said. “We do have to break laws and mandates that are unconstitutional.”