Governor’s office: Adams County not allowed to open early

OLYMPIA — Adams County is not going to be allowed to open early.

Mike Faulk, press secretary to Gov. Jay Inslee, said on Monday the governor’s office had received the request from the three Adams County commissioners petitioning the governor to let the county, which has a population of around 20,000, open early.

“Can confirm receipt of the letter,” Faulk wrote in an email to the Columbia Basin Herald. “Adams County, while it meets population size, has had 4 cases in the last three weeks, thereby making them ineligible for the variance at this time.”

Faulk said in order for a county to be eligible for a variance, and to open retail and restaurants early, it must have a population under 75,000 and have had no new COVID-19 cases in the last three weeks.

In a letter to Inslee dated May 4, Adams County Commissioners Roger Hartwig, Terrance Thompson and John Marshall petitioned Inslee to allow the county “to apply for a variance from the state to implement Phase 2 sooner, rather than later.”

Phase 2 of the governor’s four-phase restart plan would allow public gatherings of up to five people as well as increased outdoor recreation, essential travel and the reopening of businesses such as retail outlets, hair and nail salons, pet grooming and restaurants (at 50 percent capacity).

Inslee ordered all “non-essential” businesses closed in late March in order to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus, which causes COVID-19.

The Adams County commissioners argued the closure “may very well be worse than the disease for rural counties,” and said that people need to be able to get back to work in order to pay rents, mortgages and care for their families.

“Without a steady income, how can they continue to feed and care for their families and cover their daily expenses?” the commissioners wrote. “Adams County residents need to have the choice and the opportunity to return to work.”

The Washington State Department of Health has approved for Phase 2 variances for eight counties: Columbia, Garfield, Lincoln, Ferry and Pend Oreille; and on Monday, Skamania, Stevens and Wahkiakum.

A Phase 2 variance for Kittitas County is still under review, while Grays Harbor and Jefferson counties are both eligible but have not applied, the state health department said on its website.

Members of the Adams County Commission could not be reached for comment by press time.

Charles H. Featherstone can be reached at [email protected].