As the nation moves to stop the spread of the COVID-19, we are closely following the guidance of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) in making decisions about city activities. Because we are concerned about the health and welfare of all of our residents, but most especially our senior adults, the Adult Activity Center will be closed effective immediately and until further notice. 

Those who normally have meals from the nutrition center delivered to their homes will continue to receive those meals. Patrons who normally dine in at the nutrition center may drive through and pick up their meals between 11 a.m. and noon on weekdays.

We also are announcing that we have postponed Senior Appreciation Day, which was set for March 26, 2020.

We know that social interaction is important to senior adults, and we encourage our patrons to keep in touch with and check on each other.

In conjunction with the announcement of a major acquisition of downtown properties, the City of Andalusia worked with its architects at Concordia to create visual ideas of what the downtown properties could be.

 Full Presentation below:

The most important thing area residents can do to prevent the spread of the coronavirus COVID-19 is to wash their hands often; isolate themselves when sick; and clean high traffic areas like desks, workspaces, telephones, door knobs and light switches daily, an Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) official told leaders of county agencies in a meeting coordinated by the Covington County Emergency Management Agency Thursday.

 City of Andalusia officials were among those in attendance. 

 The coronavirus causes mild to moderate flu- and pneumonia-like illnesses in those young and relatively healthy. But it can be deadly, particularly in those over 60 years old or with pre-existing health conditions. The World Health Organization has declared it a global pandemic. 

 Corey Kirkland, ADPH’s health services administrator for the Southeastern district, encouraged agencies to begin looking at non-essential services and to make decisions about managing crowded areas like car tag lines in the Probate Judge’s office.

 “Could you extend the time for renewals? I don’t know,” he said, adding that these are the kinds of things people need to consider now.

 As of Thursday afternoon, there were no confirmed cases in Alabama, but state public health officials say it is only a matter of time before Alabama. Has a confirmed case. The last public count of the number tested in the state was less than 30. 

 Kirkland said leaders are struggling to find the middle ground of taking precautions, but not disrupting life unnecessarily. He said it’s not time to pull the trigger on emergency measures in Alabama, but agencies should be prepared for that time. Kirkland said the ADPH’s state lab just started Coronavirus testing, and that two private labs also have begun testing for the virus, which has been declared a global pandemic by the World Health Organization. 

Kirkland fielded questions about the effectiveness of specific cleaning agents for killing the virus, and was asked for guidelines to use for canceling gatherings. 

 “What I have seen indicated that any household cleaners with agents for killing bacteria and viruses are effective,” he said. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommends a solution of 4 teaspoons of bleach per quart of water, and alcohol solutions that are at least 70 percent alcohol for cleaning.

 “Clean workspaces, desktops, chairs and drawer pulls,” Kirkland said, adding that workplaces might consider implementing restrictions on employees sharing things like tape dispensers or staplers for a while.” 

 Frequent handwashing can help stop the spread of the virus, Kirkland said, as can cough etiquette.

Sheriff Blake Turman asked for guidance on how to isolate inmates who are ill, and said he will limit access to the Covington County Jail.

Symptoms of the disease, which appear two to 14 days after exposure, include fever, cough and shortness of breath, according to the CDC.

The Covington County meeting came on the same day that Andalusia Manor Health and Rehabilitation announced it was limiting visitors to the facility to sponsors of its residents, and health care providers like ambulance services, doctors and Hospice nurses.

SalLee Sasser-Williams, director of operations for Sasser Enterprises, told those at the meeting that sponsors will be allowed to visit residents between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. on weekdays, and there will be no visitation on weekends.

“Everybody who comes in the door will have their temperature taken, and will be asked the (screening) questions (from the health department),” she said. “We’re doing everything we can to make sure we keep everybody safe.”

The virus is believed to be more serious for the elderly and those with underlying health conditions. 

Kirkland said the ADPH’s epidemiologists were already working to control a Hepatitis A outbreak in Alabama. According to ADPH’s website, statistics updated on March 4 showed 345 cases of Hepatitis A in Alabama. 

Mayor Earl Johnson and members of the Andalusia City Council on Tuesday announced a major acquisition of downtown property that it plans to develop in public-private partnerships. 

The $1.75 million acquisition includes 143,000 square feet of space in 18 mostly-vacant buildings, and approximately six acres of land. 

The announcement was made before a packed crowd in City Hall Tuesday afternoon.

“Our hope in making this acquisition is to find businesses like Big Mike’s, Milky Moo’s and Clark Theatres that would like to be in downtown Andalusia, and to develop public-private partnerships with them,” Mayor Earl Johnson said. “All indications are that this will happen. As rumors of this acquisition have spread, we have already been approached by several developers interested in doing downtown projects.” 

Johnson said the acquisition includes some of Andalusia’s most iconic buildings, including the Prestwood Building, which dates back to 1904; the Opera House, where the first silent films were shown in the area in the early 1900s; buildings on Central Street;  the South Cotton Street buildings once known as The Bottom;  and the beautiful L&N Depot built in about 1926. 

“This was not a project the council took on lightly, and I want to thank them for being willing to take this bold step to further redevelopment of our downtown,” the mayor said.

City officials have been working with Concordia, a design firm in New Orleans that specializes in community development, to create a plan for the downtown area. The mayor said the architects worked extensively with him and members of the council to incorporate their dreams for downtown in preliminary drawings presented at the announcement. In the future, he said, more input will be sought from Andalusia residents about their dreams for downtown.

The announcement also included a video rendering of the proposed projects, which is available electronically on the City of Andalusia web page and social media pages. 

The announcement was well received by the business community. 

Andalusia Area Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Chrissie Duffy said it is important for local residents take ownership and interest in transforming the community into a better place for citizens in all economic levels to work, live and play.

“This is our community. We, the people, are responsible for its well-being.  The same could be said for our State and our Country, but it starts right here at home,” she said. “This paradigm shift is the first and most important step in moving forward. When we all take on a sense of ownership, we will truly see how we can effect change. 

“Our leaders have a vision of faith and hope that we can come together for the good of our local community by loyally supporting one another,” Duffy said. “We can shop local. We can form partnerships to create new opportunities, fill in the gaps, and create a spark.  We can smooth the way for new entrepreneurs by supporting their ideas and offering mentorship. We can recognize that our small businesses make our communities better and be invested in their well-being.  Perhaps the simplest and most important thing we can do, is we can act as ambassadors for our communities so that others want to invest, live, work, and play here too.”

City Clerk John Thompson, who served as master of ceremonies for the event, said that the acquisition is similar to a large downtown redevelopment project undertaken by the city four years ago.

“Many of you were with us in the Historic Andala Building on Coffee Street when we announced the mayor and city council’s establishment of our entertainment district, and long term leases with Big Mike’s Steak and Seafood and Clark Theaters. The theater Project was made possible by a generous donation of the building by the O’Neal Family. Together, these public – private partnerships with a $2.5 million investment by the Andalusia City Council represented the largest redevelopment in downtown Andalusia in generations,” Thompson said.  

“Today, four years on, we can proudly say that these businesses are outpacing expectations and that they are attracting visitors into downtown Andalusia who wouldn’t otherwise come,” he said. “Coupled with Candyland, our Downtown has a new energy! All of this validates the strength of the vast, largely untapped market all around us.” 

Thompson said the downtown projects are part of a larger body of work that began 20 years ago when Mayor Johnson first took office. 

“He sought to change the culture of Andalusia, to raise expectations, to expand horizons,” Thompson said. “He championed projects that today represent nothing short of an incredible body of work. Without listing them all, consider city hall and the Veteran’s Memorial, sidewalks and lighting on East Three Notch Street, Church Street, River Falls Street, South Three Notch Street, the addition of Springdale to our campus, the Dream Field and Park, the School Projects, all are a body of work or pieces to a puzzle that put us in a position to accept opportunity.”