‘A wrong-headed approach.’ Reopening Franklin County endangers us all | Editorial

The Franklin County commissioners’ decision to support reopening the rural county in defiance of Gov. Jay Inslee’s stay-home order is reckless and short-sighted.

It’s also a step into dangerous territory.

By displaying such willingness to disregard the law — as well as the advice of health officials — the Franklin County commissioners have made the governor the enemy instead of the deadly coronavirus.

It’s a risky approach that could undo all the progress that’s been made in the Tri-Cities in our fight to slow the spread of the disease.

With Franklin County Sheriff Jim Raymond openly saying he won’t stop small businesses and churches from reopening if social distancing is practiced, what’s to stop people from deciding on their own that they can ignore the governor’s directive and do whatever they want?

And then where will we be? Don’t the commissioners realize how serious this pandemic is?

Before they took their 3-0 vote Tuesday, they failed to acknowledge that the Tri-Cities is considered a hot spot for the outbreak, and that the number of deaths per 1,000 in Benton and Franklin counties from complications of COVID-19 is among the highest in the state.

Instead, the commissioners focused only on the Franklin County economy and whether the governor was overstepping his authority to continue his “Stay Home, Stay Healthy” directive.

This is parochial thinking at its worst.

Franklin County Commissioner Brad Peck said, “As far as I’m concerned the county is open, and I’d encourage people within the law and within the parameters of their own safety — we’re adults, we can make decisions — to behave accordingly. That’s what I’m doing,”

The problem is, not everyone is following the guidelines — at least not all the time. For example, some people protesting the stay-home order in Richland on Sunday stood shoulder-to-shoulder with no masks on.

And it only takes one infected person who doesn’t take precautions to set off an outbreak. That’s why the governor’s stay-home order has been so restrictive.

We know the lockdown has caused hardships for people not working and for businesses that have closed, and we know that inconsistencies in who is allowed to work and who isn’t is infuriating.

People are on the edge. Protests have erupted across the country and a partisan undercurrent is taking over.

But the coronavirus is a killer, and to manage it we need to rely on the advice of health experts who have repeatedly said that the coronavirus is not going away.

They say we must continue practicing social distancing and that if we don’t, the virus will erupt and it will take even longer to return to some sense of normalcy.

People who are weary of this message now have decided they don’t trust the messengers — even though indications are that social distancing is working.

In fact, it’s working so well that some people no longer see why it is still necessary — a backward assessment if there ever was one.

The governor’s stay-home order extends to May 4, less than two weeks away. At this point, he may start gradually lifting some of the restrictions.

But Franklin County commissioners raced ahead without talking to legal counsel first. This issue was not on the official commission agenda, but was brought up and voted on anyway.

A decision of such magnitude should be properly vetted.

The coronavirus knows no boundaries, and the lift of restrictions does not apply to Pasco or Connell. Do commissioners expect Franklin County residents to only stay in Franklin County? Shouldn’t Pasco, Kennewick, Richland and Benton County have a voice on this issue?

If Franklin County residents become infected with the coronavirus and need to go to a hospital, they will end up at Kadlec Regional Medical Center in Richland, Trios Southridge Hospital in Kennewick or Lourdes Health in Pasco — adding to the burden of exhausted health care providers.

The governor’s office said Franklin County commissioners took “a wrong-headed approach” that could expose them to legal liability and endanger people.

David Postman, Inslee’s chief of staff said, “Local governments can be stricter than the state if they choose, they can’t be looser. The law doesn’t allow it.”

It may be that Franklin County will have to rescind its action. Regardless, the damage is done.

They have sent a message that it is acceptable to disobey a state directive and that puts the whole Tri-Cities at risk.