Kawartha Lakes keeping emergency declaration in place

DAN CEARNS, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, for The Standard

KAWARTHA LAKES: Following discussion at their Emergency Operations Centre (EOC), the City of Kawartha Lakes has decided not to rescind their local state of emergency just yet. At a recent press conference, Mayor Andy Letham said the emergency operations team would discuss possibly lifting the local emergency declaration, on Tuesday, June 2nd. However, city officials have decided to keep it in place for now. “Obviously the province has extended their [state of emergency]. Our partners were pretty unanimous as I went around the table. One of the big concerns is not that something might happen, but it was just the message, the confusion, the possible confusion with people, if we released the local state of emergency while the province still had a state of emergency in place,” Mayor Letham said, during a telephone press conference on Wednesday, June 3rd. “Some people would think the pandemic is over, and it is back to business as usual.” Members of council are expected to discuss their opinions and thoughts, on when to lift the local state of emergency, this week. Mayor Letham told The Standard when the city could have another discussion about rescinding this state of emergency. “I don’t have a specific timeline. I’m just trying to take it slow and respect our EOC partners, and their opinions. I do want to take it [on Tuesday, June 9th] to the committee on the whole, and have a discussion with council. I won’t do anything before then, and then we’ll see where the province is going over the next week, and then see what our EOC partners think,” he explained. Mayor Letham told The Standard when the city could have another discussion about rescinding this state of emergency. “I don’t have a specific timeline. I’m just trying to take it slow and respect our EOC partners, and their opinions. I do want to take it [on Tuesday, June 9th] to the committee of the whole, and have a discussion with council. I won’t do anything before then, and then we’ll see where the province is going over the next week, and then see what our EOC partners think,” he explained.