December 24, 2020
Third round of business relief grants approved
Yamhill County commissioners held a special meeting Tuesday to approve the distribution of state grant funds to county businesses impacted by the shutdowns Governor Kate Brown ordered to prevent wider spread of the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19.
The county had a little more than $1.4 million to spend on its third round of business relief grants, and added $468 of county money to make the 144 grants it approved work out to an even $10,000 each, County Administrator Ken Huffer said.
The county created three tiers for the grants, with those businesses forced to shut down altogether by the governor’s most recent executive order given top priority.
December 10, 2020
Commissioners debate resolution on COVID rules
County commissioners on Thursday debated a resolution proposed by Mary Starrett that she said would protect businesses violating the governor’s executive orders on COVID-19.
They eventually decided to continue the discussion next week.
The resolution questions all facts about the disease rates and death rates reported by the state of Oregon. It states that it constitutes evidence for use in court that “persons and entities, including medical providers, within Yamhill County are not subject to findings of negligence per-se on the sole basis of having engaged in activities that are inconsistent with executive orders related to the Coronavirus.”