Butler County Commissioners

With a quick vote, county commissioners on Wednesday rescinded the county Declaration of Public Health Disaster Emergency resolution that was approved March 18, 2020, when the coronavirus pandemic arrived in Butler County.

Leslie Osche, commissioners chairwoman, said the declaration was kept in place a little longer than necessary to ensure the county would continue to receive state Emergency Management Agency funding.

Osche said county leaders will engage in a debriefing with several county entities, including emergency medical services, school districts, county offices and others.

The debriefing will serve to prepare the county for any future pandemic or medical disaster, which she hopes will never occur.

“We're very proud of the county and community on how they stepped up,” Osche said.

She said businesses received emergency funding to help them survive, and employees in county row offices worked together to overcome challenges associated with the pandemic.

Commissioner Kevin Boozel said the statewide County Commissioners Association, of which he is president and Osche is treasurer, continues to discuss the pandemic with the state's county commissioners, Gov. Tom Wolf and his staff and the state secretary of health on the Delta variant now affecting those without vaccinations.

“That communication stream is extremely important to maintain,” Boozel said.

He added that communication with state officials was “nonexistent” at the beginning of the pandemic, which should never happen again should the state face another pandemic.

“I think being prepared is critical,” Boozel said.

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