UMATILLA COUNTY — Amid the ongoing surge of COVID-19 cases locally and across the state, the Umatilla County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously Wednesday, July 1, to add another 60 days to the current state of emergency for COVID-19.

The county originally issued a state of emergency March 18 in response to COVID-19 when there were only two confirmed cases of the virus locally. As of June 30, there have been 524 cases and five deaths reported in the county.

The order gives authority to the county to maintain its policies in response to COVID-19, which have included directing staff to purchase locally whenever possible, providing paid leave for staff who have knowingly contracted or been exposed to COVID-19 and eliminating out-of-county travel.

After extending the emergency order, the board of commissioners officially readopted these policies and updated them to include that county staff “comply with any state directives for the wearing of masks or face coverings.”

“Even though we’re primarily social beings, we’re also really encouraging departments to use email and phone rather than going department to department,” Commissioner George Murdock said.

The board also practiced a new look for its meetings July 1 as Commissioner John Shafer sat alone at the meeting with Murdock and Commissioner Bill Elfering forming a quorum over the phone.

While the commissioners could end it prematurely if they choose, the extension means the county’s state of emergency will be in effect until at least Sept. 4, which falls in line with the statewide extension issued by Gov. Kate Brown on June 30.

The original statewide emergency order was issued on March 8 and then extended in early May. The emergency order gives Brown legal authority to continue the executive orders she’s already issued — such as the recent face covering mandate — or issue more as she sees fit.