[ad_1]
Posters featuring Guadalupe Mayor Ariston Julian, left, and Allan Hancock College President Kevin Walthers are displayed during the May kickoff of the “Protect. Respect. Wear Your Mask” campaign at the Maldonado Youth Center in Santa Maria. Educating the public has increased the number of people complying with Santa Barbara County health office orders, but to put more teeth in enforcement efforts, the Board of Supervisors is considering an ordinance authorizing citations and fines for violating the orders.
County health officer orders would become law and police and other designated officers could issue citations and fines against individuals who fail to comply with efforts to halt the spread of COVID-19 if the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors adopts a recommended urgency ordinance Tuesday.
Supervisors are scheduled to consider the ordinance after hearing the regular Public Health Department status report on COVID-19 in the county.
Other items on the board’s agenda include a presentation on the Vandenberg Airforce Base Initiative and REACH 2030 regional action plan, a report on KPMG’s operational and performance review of the Planning and Development Department, a presentation on the Commission for Women 2020 Women’s History Month Service Awards and Library Ad Hoc Committee recommendations for branch library minimum standards and funding.
Up until now, enforcement of county health officer orders aimed at controlling the spread of COVID-19 have consisted primarily of law enforcement officers educating the public about the orders and seeking voluntary compliance, according to a report from Assistant County Executive Officer Barney Melekian and County Office of Emergency Management Director Kelly Hubbard.
The report says the majority of county residents are complying with the orders, although it also notes that a few misdemeanor citations have been issued to individuals who refused to comply.
County employees continue to receive complaints about violations of health officer orders.
[ad_2]
Source link