POMEROY–Garfield County has four active cases of COVID-19, Martha Lanman, Garfield County Health District Administrator, informed the County Commissioners (BOCC) at the February 22 meeting, and the vaccine clinic will be open this Friday.

Direct contacts of those who tested positive for the coronavirus are being traced, Lanman added.

More vaccines have been shipped, so the Friday Vaccine Clinic will be open this coming Friday for second dose injections, she said.

Lanman told the BOCC that many residents in the area are unaware of the ability to receive the vaccine in Pomeroy, so the District plans to send a direct-mail piece to all postal customers. Presently, anyone needing a vaccine can call the Health District at 509-843-3412 to place their name on the list.

In other business:

- The BOCC passed Resolution 2021-07, which states the maximum lawful speed limit on Grove, Fetis and Pataha streets that lay south of Montgomery Street in the unincorporated City of Pataha, Garfield County is now 10 miles per hour.

-The BOCC approved the Valence Mission Critical Technologies maintenance contract for 240 annual hours, 20 hours per month, labor rate discounted to $89.25 per hour and monthly rate of $1,785 for installation and maintenance the Garfield County Sheriff’s Office radio and communication equipment.

The contract will include quick response Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m .; after hours assistance with previous scheduling; emergency assistance beyond regular business hours, nights, weekends and holidays which carries a per-incident flat fee for every after-hours response. This fee is $35 for the response only so accrued time would still be used during the incident. This covers cost of deploying after hours and other associated expenses, Tower time during normal business hours is debited against the contract hours at 1.5 times the rate. Labor not scheduled in advance which extends into overtime will be debited at 1.5 times the rate.

Health District Administrator Lanman stated community health workers could be of value to the area. They would provide assistance to people with making and keeping their appointments. They would also help with services such as meal development and medication understanding as preventive methods so individuals may avoid getting to the point of needing emergency services.

-The Foundational Health Services has received the first payment of $50,000 and the other half will come in July.

-School wellness committee is working with kids, advising them on more healthy foods and giving our water bottles to high schoolers to encourage drinking water instead of monster drinks, sodas, or other unhealthy beverages.

-Child Find evaluate babies from six months to entering school age on their gross and fine motor skills; older children take walks and execute patterns, all to find those children who are struggling in certain developmental skills. In addition, Child Find tests vision and hearing in youngsters so they can get help in that way when they need it and before problems develop. The assessment is scheduled at the Pomeroy School on March 4 at 9 a.m.–2 p.m.

-Resolution 2021-05, Amendment 17 consolidated contract, has been approved.