March 2020

By Reed Anfinson
Publisher
Swift County Monitor-News

Benson Mayor Terri Collins signed an emergency peacetime declaration during a meeting with key city staff Sunday night at the city office to address the rapidly spreading coronavirus.

The order gives the mayor and city broad authority for three days to implement measures to address an emergency situation. After three days, for emergency powers to continue they must be approved by the full city council.

At the 5 p.m. meeting were City Manager Rob Wolfington, Director of Public Works Dan Gens, and Police Chief Ian Hodge. Director of Finance Glen Pederson joined the group by phone.

Meeting in the Benson Armory Monday night with audience chairs spaced six feet apart, and with members of the council spread out, the emergency order signed by the mayor the day before was unanimously approved by the council. It allows the order to remain in place during the emergency.

By Reed Anfinson
Publisher
Swift County Monitor-News

“Knowledge will forever govern ignorance; and a people who mean to be their own governors must arm themselves with the power which knowledge gives.”
James Madison
 Father of the U.S. Constitution
Fourth President of the United States

This is an extraordinary time in the lives of most Americans as our way of life is radically changed in just a few short weeks.

Who would have thought that as spring approached our schools would all be closed, that there would be no church services, that all sports from our high schools to the professional leagues would be cancelled, that people would be hoarding toilet paper, and that grocery stores would be seeing people buying stockpiles of food as if Armageddon were imminent?

The governor also announced a measure to help hospitality, entertainment and restaurant workers whose jobs will be affected

MPR News Staff
Gov. Tim Walz announced Monday that the state will temporarily close bars, restaurants and other venues that serve dine-in guests — and introduced a measure to help employees of those businesses — in the state’s ongoing effort to curb the spread of the new coronavirus, COVID-19.

The governor’s latest executive order requires bars, restaurants, gyms, coffee shops, bowling alleys,breweries and other venues to close to dine-in guests as of 5 p.m. Tuesday. It extends until Friday, March 27, at 5 p.m. — but Walz said it’s likely that this is just the beginning.
“I don’t see a situation … where there wouldn’t be an extension on these dates,” he said.

The measure allows businesses to continue takeout and delivery services. It does not cover grocery stores, convenience stores or pharmacies, the governor said.

Swift County-Benson Health Services, managed by CentraCare and Carris Health, is no longer allowing visitors at the hospital or Scandi Haven Village. Scandi Haven provides senior housing and has a memory care unit.

 “After careful consideration, we made this difficult choice because our top priority must be the safety of our patients, staff and communities,” CentraCare Health of St. Cloud stated in a press release.

“To protect our patients, families and health care workers during the outbreak of COVID-19, CentraCare and Carris Health will be implementing temporary visitor restrictions to all CentraCare and Carris Health facilities.”

SCBHS is asking that anyone with a fever, cough and shortness of breath, symptoms of COVID-19, call ahead to the clinic or hospital to let them know they are coming in. They do not want a potentially infected person walking into the emergency room or clinic where the virus could spread to medical staff and other patients.