Adams County Republican politicians wrote Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf yesterday asking him to immediately move Adams County from a red to a yellow stage designation. The change, which has already been made for 37 other counties, would allow some non-essential businesses to reopen.
The letter, posted on Mastriano’s Facebook page, was signed by state representatives Torren Ecker, Representative in the General Assembly, 193rd District, Dan Moul, Representative in the General Assembly, 91st District, state senator Doug Mastriano, Senator in the General Assembly, 33rd District, and U.S. congressional representative John Joyce, Representative in Congress, 13th District.
The two Republican county commissioners, Randy Phiel and Jim Martin, also signed the letter.
The Democratic county commissioner, Marty Qually, who said he did not know about the letter, posted a reply in the form of a letter addressed to Gettysburg Times editor Alex Hayes on his Facebook page.
The following are transcripts of the two letters:
Letter from Ecker, Mastriano, Moul, Joyce, Martin, and Phiel addressed to Governor Wolf:
As elected officials serving the people of Adams County, we write to formally request the immediate transition of Adams County from a “red” designation during the COVID-19 Pandemic to a “yellow” designation.
According to all previously identified measurable made by you and your Secretary of health. Adams County falls well within all indices and metrics. Since our hospital systems began testing for COVID-19 in March, we have performed more than 1,900 tests. Of those tested 154 individuals tested positive for COVID-19 in a county with a population of 103,000. We have suffered 5 fatalities. Since April 24, 2020. Adams County has averaged 3.14 cases per day with a total of 44 new cases. Based on the 50 cases over 14 days per 100,000 people metric. Adams County must have less than 52 cases within that 14-day period. We clearly meet this criteria.
Over the past two months. we have worked with our local hospital systems to ensure they have adequate personal protective equipment, bed capacity, ventilator capacity, and testing capacity. Based on the information provided by these hospital systems, our county is properly prepared to test and care for current and future COVID-19 patients.
Thankfully only one nursing home facility has positive cases, which have resulted in 21 COVID-19 positive residents and 4 COVID-19 positive employees. Adams County has recorded four COVID-19-related deaths in the nursing home facility.
As you can clearly see based on the metrics set forth by your Department of Health, Adams County falls well within the identified measurables and should now be classified as a “yellow” county.
We, like you, have a goal of saving lives while ensuring our health system does not become overwhelmed with those suffering from COVID- 19. We believe based on the science, data, and the help of our trusted medical professionals and health care systems, we have met that goal. Now we must move into the next phase of response during this crisis which is to safely re-open up our economy based on the feedback we have received. Adams Countians are ready to move forward safely, intelligently and responsibly into the “yellow phase.”
We believe that the people of Adams County deserve consistency and transparency that has been less then forthcoming over the past few weeks. The inconsistency of current policy and waivers demands a reexamination of the current approach.
The courtesy of a response would be much appreciated. If you desire more information about our request, please do not hesitate to contact any one of us
Sincerely,
Letter from Qually addressed to Gettysburg Times Editor Alex Hayes:
Thank you for bringing this my attention.
I was unaware that my fellow commissioners were signing on to this letter. While I can agree with the intent of the letter sent by Adams County Republican leadership, I cannot support all of their conclusions. Everyday I feel the pain of local businesses forced to remain closed out of an abundance of caution for the safety of our most vulnerable residents. We have all been forced to make difficult decisions. I do not envy Governor Wolf or Secretary Levine’s position in having to create statewide or regional policies in the face of this changing pandemic.
Up until today, I was under the impression that the board of commissioners was unanimous in our belief that a regional approach, while not ideal for county businesses, was appropriate given our regionalized workforce and shared industries.
I believe that Adams County residents have done an admirable job given the circumstances and deserve to being opening businesses. But we must also respect the advice from first responders and medical professionals, who have been and are on the front lines. We should follow their advice, not the advice of partisan elected officials. Furthermore, I believe we are on the cusp of reopening Adams County and this message from local Republican leadership is premature and may have unintended negative consequences.
Frankly, I believe that had Governor Wolf opened the state too soon, state Republican leadership would have crucified him for every single death. They rarely, if ever, have agreed with the policies coming from his administration. There was a time when Americans worked together in times of crisis. When Republican officials sow confusion and doubt, many of our residents end up shaking their heads in disbelief. Our strength as a nation, a state, and a county comes from our ability to work together.
Respectfully,
Well, the Republicans’ premise may have enabled a lot of publicity and chest-beating at the capital yesterday, I did wait and watch the governor’s response – it was a team effort, logical, calm and connecting all the dots on the WHY of having the “disaster” relief in place, for funding and various other allowances – the extra concessions for multi-state health professionals crossing borders, etc. It made tremendous sense. It seems the Republicans were show-boating for re-election more than anything, acting-out like a certain POTUS who shall remain nameless and should be embarrassed by their extreme attacks on the governor and our conscientious Health Secretary, and all rather unnecessary and after-the-fact that Governor Wolf is re-opening most counties as fast as he possibly can. The results will have to be seen, if a second-wave comes, we cannot go back to save lives. And, yes, places like Gettysburg, tourist attractions, would be most vulnerable. What ever happened to patience? I sympathize with small businesses, and many of us are making an effort to increase online and carry-out buying from local sources.
Shame on these politicians who are not thinking of public safety or long-term consequences. We can still open businesses, but the guidelines and disaster funding are also needed!
Adams County Democratic Committee Response to Republican Legislators’ Letter to Governor Wolf
The Adams County Democratic Committee was startled to learn of the partisan letter sent last week to Governor Wolf requesting that Adams County be fast-tracked for relaxed restrictions due to COVID-19. This letter purported to represent all of the residents of Adams County, but no Democrat was involved or even informed of the plan to send a letter. The meeting of Republican legislators was held in secret, with no public notice or input. It would appear that the two Republican County Commissioners may have violated the Sunshine Act in convening a meeting and making a decision in this manner.
We would ask which local experts were consulted before the letter was written: Wellspan or other medical experts? Local economic experts? Local tourism experts? Local governmental officials? Local people who are not elected Republican officials?
We are all hurting from the restrictions. We are all eager for a return to normal activity in business, education, and social interaction.
But COVID-19 will not allow that to happen. Just because we do not see the virus, just because no one in our family has become deathly ill or even died of the virus, does not mean the danger has passed.
Gov. Wolf not only has the authority to determine how quickly Pennsylvania moves forward on easing restrictions, he has the responsibility as the chief executive officer of the state to keep Pennsylvanians as safe as possible. He and his team are using the best medical and scientific methods available as well as monitoring progress in other states and countries.
If those who don’t want to follow the medical and scientific guidelines were only risking their own health, we could say that they can take the chance. But they do not risk only their own health and safety – they risk the health and safety of everyone they come into contact with – the whole community!
We must accept that life has changed in the longer term and we will have social distancing and face masks for months to come. We must learn from the flu pandemic of 1918-19, when 675,000 Americans died in THREE waves of the illness.
Decisions must be made on the basis of facts and knowledge, not partisan politics and encouraging people to ignore guidelines that are designed to protect all of us. Sen. Mastriano is especially outrageous in his actions, leading rallies without face masks and distancing, smiling for the camera in hopes of furthering his political career, and calling for firing of people who are doing their utmost to protect all of us. 72% of adults in Pennsylvania approve of Governor Wolf’s handling of the pandemic. Sen. Mastriano is definitely in the minority.
What we have been doing these past months is working. Although the United States has more cases of COVID-19 than any other country, we do not have the staggering numbers of deaths and illnesses that would have occurred otherwise.
Adams County has a particular concern about re-opening because of our heavy reliance on the tourist industry for our local economy to flourish. First, consumer confidence may continue to keep people at home and then there would be no customers for re-opened business. It’s fair to say that local people are already supporting local businesses, so increased business would mean travelers.
But travelers coming from many different locations where COVID-19 is present would leave us open to increased infection or even renewed restrictions because of a sharp spike in cases.
We urge everyone who agrees that we must stay the course for gradual relaxing of restrictions to protect our families and our community to contact the officials who sent this letter and insist they hear our voices.Urge them NOT to take the path of counties and county officials who have publicly stated they would not adhere to the Governor’s plan. That would not only be foolhardy, it would jeopardize the federal funding that Adams County desperately needs to help recover from this disaster!
Urge them to stay the course! Things are improving across the state and Adams County should soon be on the list for relaxed restrictions.Urge them to provide true leadership for our county, based on public health and in concert with state leadership to help restore our economy!
Adams County Democratic Committee
Response to Republican Legislators’ Letter to Governor Wolf
I am sharing here the Adams County Democratic Committee’s response to the recent letter from Republican legislators about re-opening the county.
WIll Lane
The Adams County Democratic Committee was startled to learn of the partisan letter sent last week to Governor Wolf requesting that Adams County be fast-tracked for relaxed restrictions due to COVID-19.
This letter purported to represent all of the residents of Adams County, but no Democrat was involved or even informed of the plan to send a letter. The meeting of Republican legislators was held in secret, with no public notice or input. It would appear that the two Republican County Commissioners may have violated the Sunshine Act in convening a meeting and making a decision in this manner.
We would ask which local experts were consulted before the letter was written: Wellspan or other medical experts? Local economic experts? Local tourism experts? Local governmental officials? Local people who are not elected Republican officials?
We are all hurting from the restrictions. We are all eager for a return to normal activity in business, education, and social interaction.
But COVID-19 will not allow that to happen. Just because we do not see the virus, just because no one in our family has become deathly ill or even died of the virus, does not mean the danger has passed.
Gov. Wolf not only has the authority to determine how quickly Pennsylvania moves forward on easing restrictions, he has the responsibility as the chief executive officer of the state to keep Pennsylvanians as safe as possible. He and his team are using the best medical and scientific methods available as well as monitoring progress in other states and countries.
If those who don’t want to follow the medical and scientific guidelines were only risking their own health, we could say that they can take the chance. But they do not risk only their own health and safety – they risk the health and safety of everyone they come into contact with – the whole community!
We must accept that life has changed in the longer term and we will have social distancing and face masks for months to come. We must learn from the flu pandemic of 1918-19, when 675,000 Americans died in THREE waves of the illness.
Decisions must be made on the basis of facts and knowledge, not partisan politics and encouraging people to ignore guidelines that are designed to protect all of us. Sen. Mastriano is especially outrageous in his actions, leading rallies without face masks and distancing, smiling for the camera in hopes of furthering his political career, and calling for firing of people who are doing their utmost to protect all of us. 72% of adults in Pennsylvania approve of Governor Wolf’s handling of the pandemic. Sen. Mastriano is definitely in the minority.
What we have been doing these past months is working. Although the United States has more cases of COVID-19 than any other country, we do not have the staggering numbers of deaths and illnesses that would have occurred otherwise.
Adams County has a particular concern about re-opening because of our heavy reliance on the tourist industry for our local economy to flourish. First, consumer confidence may continue to keep people at home and then there would be no customers for re-opened business. It’s fair to say that local people are already supporting local businesses, so increased business would mean travelers.
But travelers coming from many different locations where COVID-19 is present would leave us open to increased infection or even renewed restrictions because of a sharp spike in cases.
We urge everyone who agrees that we must stay the course for gradual relaxing of restrictions to protect our families and our community to contact the officials who sent this letter and insist they hear our voices.
Urge them NOT to take the path of counties and county officials who have publicly stated they would not adhere to the Governor’s plan. That would not only be foolhardy, it would jeopardize the federal funding that Adams County desperately needs to help recover from this disaster!
Urge them to stay the course! Things are improving across the state and Adams County should soon be on the list for relaxed restrictions.
Urge them to provide true leadership for our county, based on public health and in concert with state leadership to help restore our economy!
Urge them to be transparent in their decisions and to keep all constituents informed!
Those who signed the letter to the Governor and their contact information are:
Adams County Commissioner Chair Randy Phiel rphiel@adamscounty.us
Adams County Commissioner Jim Martin
jmartin@adamscounty.us
Both of the Commissioners share the telephone number 717-337-9820, and mailing address of Room 201, 117 Baltimore Street, Gettysburg PA 17325
Pennsylvania State Representative Dan Moul
http://www.repmoul.com/contact.aspx
717-334-3010
30 West Middle Street, Gettysburg PA 17325
Pennsylvania State Representative Torren Ecker
tecker@pahousegop.com
717-259-7805
First Floor, 282 West King Street, Abbottstown PA 17301
Pennsylvania State Senator Doug Mastriano
kmschwille@pasen.gov (His assistant who answers all calls.)
717-334-4169 or toll-free 1-866-334-1863
16A Deatrick Drive, Gettysburg PA 17325