Mayor Amends Proclamation; City to “Shelter in Place”

The Marlow City Council covered several items of business at the regular meeting on Tuesday, chief among them amending the Proclamation declaring a State of Emergency for the City and its residents that had been issued on March 16 and expanded on March 26.

The proposed changes to the Proclamation specifically align with the Executive Orders issued by Governor Kevin Stitt and will be implemented effective at 11:59pm on April 1 and continue through at least April 30.

The revisions to the Proclamation include automatically updating the orders as additional orders are issued by the Governor in the future.

City Administrator Jason McPherson said that Oklahoma City and Tulsa had recently declared “shelter in place” orders, and recommended that the City of Marlow do the same.

“The number of cases in Stephens County went from two to five today [Tuesday],” McPherson explained. “If it starts doubling every two days we’re eventually going to get there, so I’m recommending that we go there now.”

Under a “shelter in place” order, residents living within the City limits are required to shelter at their residences except for “essential activities,” which include performing tasks or obtaining supplies related to the health and safety of household members and pets, as well as delivering supplies to others and caring for a family member or pet in another household. Essential activities also include outdoor activities as long as individuals follow social distancing guidelines.

Also allowed is going to work at an essential business as described by the Oklahoma Department of Commerce.

“You can go get the essentials. You can leave your home to walk your dog. You can leave your home to get out of the house and walk around,” McPherson said. “You can leave your house and go to the park, you can visit the green spaces, but you can’t use the playgrounds. You need to stay six feet away from people and you need to stay in less than numbers of ten [in a gathering].”

McPherson also pointed out that the police department now has eight officers, and that law enforcement would not be determining if an individual who is out is “essential” or not.

“We’re trying to protect those guys as much as we’re trying to enforce the law, and we’re trying to keep those guys healthy,” McPherson said. “We’re not knocking on doors and we’re not stopping cars asking if you’re essential to be going to work. We’re leaving that up to you.”

Mayor Brian Davis agreed that the State is most likely headed in a similar direction statewide.

Davis also asked about clarification to the policy regarding some businesses that his previous Proclamation had allowed under certain limitations; specifically, the point that allowed hair salons, tattoo parlors, and massage parlors to remain open to one client at a time.

McPherson said that under the Governor’s executive orders, those businesses would not be allowed to open. “A lot of these folks, that’s how they put food on the table. That’s unfortunate, but we need to follow along with the Governor.”

The list of businesses considered essential as of press time is available on the Oklahoma Department of Commerce website: https://www.okcommerce.gov/wp-content/uploads/Oklahoma-Essential-Industries-List.pdf