CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – Montgomery County and Clarksville City governments extended on Tuesday Emergency and Executive orders directing citizens to practice social distancing and shelter at home except when engaging in essential activities or services.
The direct orders sustain coordinated local actions taken March 31 to reduce the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. The orders will remain in effect through 12:01 a.m. Wednesday, April 14
Essential activities and services are defined in the orders mainly as healthcare, public safety, utilities, government, communications and media, banking, food production and distribution, vehicles, fuel and support, and many manufacturing facilities.
Under the orders, all gatherings are strongly discouraged, and those with more than 10 people are strictly prohibited. Gatherings include any event unrelated to essential services that brings together groups of people, such as church services and sporting events.
Clarksville City Council members met in a video conference Tuesday to approve unanimously a resolution to extend Mayor Joe Pitts’ Executive Order No. 3.
Once again, some Council members questioned whether all businesses were complying with the orders.
“I think some are putting business and profit over safety,” Councilman David Allen said.
Mayor PItts said Clarksville Police are aggressively and proactively reaching out to businesses.
“We are doing our best to enforce the orders. Our police are reacting to complaints and visiting businesses, making sure they are protecting employees,” Mayor Pitts said. “It’s a tough one. I appreciate the public’s understanding as we try to get this right. Our big box retailers, for example, are doing a good job of monitoring the numbers of customers in stores at a given time.”
Clarksville Police are staffing a dedicated number, (931) 472-3600, for all general questions and information requests, including questions about provisions of the COVID-19 Emergency and Executive Orders.
Residents still should dial 9-1-1 for all emergency calls, requests for police officer response and to file a police report. Citizens also should call 9-1-1 with reports of businesses not closing and possibly violating provisions of the Executive Orders.
Earlier Tuesday, County Mayor Jim Durrett signed Emergency Executive Order No. 5 to extend his declaration of the State of Emergency allowed under state law that went into effect March 17 as well as existing subsequent County Emergency Executive Orders No. 1-4.
People who violate the orders could be charged with a Class A misdemeanor and would be subject to citation and fines for each offense, and even arrest if necessary.
In Mayor Pitts’ Executive Order No. 3, a long list of businesses are ordered closed, including hospitality, educational and entertainment venues. Personal contact businesses, including hair, nail, massage, tattoo, tanning and waxing salons are directed to close.
Online activities and deliveries through many businesses may continue. And previous mandates about restaurants restricting food sales to drive-through and take out operations remain in place.
In earlier rounds of coordinated orders during the COVID-19 emergency, Mayors Durrett and Pitts incorporated the major provisions of Gov. Bill Lee’s executive orders.
“We will continue to take actions necessary to ensure the health, safety and welfare of the residents in Montgomery County and ask that each of you do the same,” Mayor Durrett said. “Please stay at home. The more people that follow the shelter at home orders, the faster, safer, and healthier we can get through this pandemic.”
For information on the state and national response to COVID-19 and updates on working together to reduce infections, visit https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html and https://www.tn.gov/health/cedep/ncov.html.
For a summary of the local “stay at home” order, visit https://bit.ly/2USQeSC.
For the Mayor’s and Governor’s Executive orders, visit https://bit.ly/2JLMxci.