By Breanna Francis, The Journal of Martinsburg
MARTINSBURG, W.Va. — In a nearly empty council chambers via teleconference, the Berkeley County Council adopted a resolution declaring a state of emergency in the county during an emergency meeting held early Tuesday afternoon, just hours before the first positive COVID-19 case was announced in the Eastern Panhandle.
Councilwoman Elaine Mauck, County Administrator Alan Davis and Legal Counsel Norwood Bentley were the only council representatives present in person for the adoption, with Councilmen Doug Copenhaver, Dan Dulyea, Jim Barnhart and Jim Whitacre phoning in to unanimously adopt the resolution declaring a state of emergency in Berkeley County, a decision leadership said will make responding to the virus easier in the long run.
“It allows us to much more easily go to both the state and federal government for resources, things we need, hospitals we need, everything,” Bentley said. “The emergency operations center will be the center of activity, and all kinds of requests will go through there and directly to the Office of Emergency Services in Charleston, which will help us get whatever we need. It could be anything from medicine, to supplies like masks, anything that we feel like we need. In addition, it gives the president of the council authority to take emergency kinds of actions if they think they’re needed.” …
