Waukesha County's Pandemic State Of Emergency Ends

WAUKESHA, WI— The Waukesha County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved an ordinance to end the State of Emergency declaration on Tuesday night. The vote was 25-0 during the County Board meeting.

Waukesha County Executive Paul Farrow signed the declaration to end it on Wednesday morning.

Farrow posted a statement on social media also on Wednesday:

"This morning I signed the resolution that ends Waukesha County's State of Emergency Declaration. The County Board of Supervisors voted to pass the resolution last night 25 – 0. The resolution was expedited to be taken up at the May County Board meeting, instead of the June meeting as originally planned.

I have been getting questions from residents who are interested in this resolution. I want to clarify that the emergency declaration does not have an impact on the operations of any organizations other than Waukesha County government. All a State of Emergency Declaration does is allow the County to access state and federal funds for expenses incurred during the COVID-19 emergency response.

The resolution is not tied to any mandates or public health orders that impact residents. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, Waukesha County has not issued any public health mandates or orders. All public health guidelines have been issued as recommendations, rather than orders, to allow Waukesha County businesses and organizations to serve residents in a safe, flexible way.

The significance of signing this resolution today is that it means the County no longer needs to divert as many of its resources to pandemic response. This is not a change that most residents will notice in their daily lives, or even in their interactions with the County. However, it is another sign that we are returning to normal."

The declaration has no impact on the public and doesn't impact food assistance, according to Farrow.

Farrow initiated the process to end the State of Emergency related to the COVID-19 pandemic. The proclamation ensured the county had funding mechanisms in place. It was declared on March 12, 2020. It allowed the county to facilitate and expedite the use of resources to protect residents from the impacts of the spread of COVID-19 while ensuring continuity of critical operations within Waukesha County.