Photo by Charlene Corson Selbee
After the August 3, 2021, Houston County Commission meeting, the commissioners called an emergency meeting, for Friday, August 6, 2021, at 9 a.m. Houston County Public Health will update the commission on the status of COVID-19, and the commissioners will discuss a mask mandate.
Commissioners Dewey Severson, Eric Johnson, Robert Burns, Teresa Walter, and Greg Myhre were all present at the August 3 meeting of the Houston County Commission. Chairman Burns called the meeting to order at 9 a.m. and led board members and attendees in the Pledge of Allegiance. Commissioners approved the meeting agenda, July 27, 2021, minutes, and the Consent Agenda. The meeting adjourned at 10:21 a.m.
Mary Betz, Chief Deputy Recorder; John Pugleasa, director, Houston County Public Health, Heather Myhre, supervisor, Houston County Public Health; Brian Pogodzinsi, county engineer; and Donna Trehus, auditor/treasurer, were also in attendance.
Pugleasa and Myhre updated commission members on the status of COVID-19. Pugleasa started by stating how sad he was to be back before the commission to update the board on COVID-19 so soon after making the decision that regular presentations were no longer needed.
“The rising number of COVID-19 cases due to the Delta variant is widespread across the Nation. The Delta variant is in Houston County! It is tough to predict, and it is a very fast-changing issue,” shared Pugleasa. He explained that there have already been significant changes since last Thursday when he submitted the request to appear before the commission.
The vaccines are highly effective, and Houston County has a high rate of residents vaccinated. According to the Minnesota COVID dashboard, 94.70% of Houston residents 65+, 65.30% of residents 50-64 years old, 67.50% of the county’s population 16+, 55.80% of the county’s total population, and 65.10% of Houston County residents 12+ have had at least one dose. Pugleasa emphasized, “Houston County continues to be in the top 10 of all those numbers and Minnesota has a high rate of vaccinations.”
Last week the CDC updated its COVID-19 guidance. As of August 2, 2021, Houston County is currently at the orange level, 50 cases per 100,000. If the number of cases increases to 100 per 100,000, the county will move to the red level.
The governor does not have authority to mandate masking since the Peacetime Emergency was lifted, but he has issued new recommendations for school districts. It now falls to local school districts to decide whether they are going to require students and teachers to wear masks whether they are vaccinated or not. In addition, it is up to local governments and businesses to decide on a masking policy. Pugleasa mentioned that large companies such as Target are reinstating mask mandates.
Pugleasa stated, “It is hard to put into words how disappointing it is that we do not have a recommendation for the county board. Myhre and I are wrestling with our recommendation and are asking for additional time. The Delta variant is moving really fast.”
In answer to Commissioner Myhre’s question, Pugleasa stated, “I have not seen or heard of a booster shot.”
Next meeting
The next meeting of the Houston County Commission is Tuesday, August 10, 2021, at 9:00 a.m. in County Board Room 222 in the Historic Courthouse, Caledonia, or via our conference call line at (312) 626-6700 and entering meeting ID: 994-7297-7175 and password 368422.
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