File #: 202200176    Version: 1
Type: Statement Status: Filed
File created: 1/25/2022 In control: Cincinnati City Council
On agenda: 1/26/2022 Final action: 1/26/2022
ORD/RES# date: ORD/RES#:
Title: STATEMENT, (DECLARATION OF EMERGENCY), submitted by Mayor Aftab Pureval and City Manager Paula Boggs Muething, Pursuant to Article III of the Cincinnati Charter, Article XVIII of the Administrative Code of the City of Cincinnati, I hereby declare a public emergency based on the unprecedented rise in new cases of COVID-19 among City employees in the past two weeks. The extremely rapid increase in positive cases, if it continues unchecked, has the potential to interfere with the City's ability to fully staff a range of public services. It is imperative that the City act promptly to address this threat and that we continue taking meaningful steps to prevent the endangerment of persons and property within Cincinnati that could result from widespread staffing shortages. By this declaration, I call upon the City Manager to require face masks to be worn at all City facilities for the next 30 days to prevent and slow the spread of COVID among City staff responsible for providing public service...
Sponsors: Mayor, City Manager
Attachments: 1. Declaration of Emergency Imposing Mask Requirements of City Facilities

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STATEMENT, (DECLARATION OF EMERGENCY), submitted by Mayor Aftab Pureval and City Manager Paula Boggs Muething, Pursuant to Article III of the Cincinnati Charter, Article XVIII of the Administrative Code of the City of Cincinnati, I hereby declare a public emergency based on the unprecedented rise in new cases of COVID-19 among City employees in the past two weeks. The extremely rapid increase in positive cases, if it continues unchecked, has the potential to interfere with the City’s ability to fully staff a range of public services. It is imperative that the City act promptly to address this threat and that we continue taking meaningful steps to prevent the endangerment of persons and property within Cincinnati that could result from widespread staffing shortages. By this declaration, I call upon the City Manager to require face masks to be worn at all City facilities for the next 30 days to prevent and slow the spread of COVID among City staff responsible for providing public services within Cincinnati. This declaration and related measures are based on the advice of leading medical professionals and the recommendation by the Center for Disease Control (“CDC”) that, in areas of substantial or high transmission, all persons should wear masks in indoor public places to maximize protection and prevent possibly spreading COVID-19 to others. CDC guidance applies to both vaccinated and unvaccinated persons. The City’s Health Commissioner similarly spread in the Cincinnati region. Requiring masking at City facilities will help to protect City staff, protect visitors to City facilities, and prevent the spread of Covid-19 among City employees working to maintain services during this surge in the pandemic. The City Manager is hereby called upon to “perform such duties and shall immediately proceed to take all action necessary to preserve and protect the public peace and the lives, persons and property within the City of Cincinnati that are endangered or potentially endangered by the factors constituting such public danger or emergency.” (See Article XVIII of the Administrative Code.) The City Manager will promptly issue a masking rule for City facilities, which rule shall include authorization for appropriate staff to take all steps necessary to implement and enforce this declaration at City facilities along with any exceptions that may be required in the public interest. This declaration is based upon the existence of a condition of public danger or emergency, as described herein, and shall continue to effect for 30 days unless prior withdrawn on superseded.

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