FACE-OFF OVER COVID-19 ORDERS

The following is a statement published July 16 on the City of Ferris Facebook page to the citizens of Ferris regarding COVID-19 policies and positions from the State of Texas:

Today, Governor Greg Abbott stated that, “there is no shutdown coming,” to the State of Texas, due to COVID-19, after last week stating that, “the next step would have to be a lockdown,” if the spread of the virus didn’t slow. The virus has not slowed, and a lockdown didn’t come – what did was another change in course by our Governor.

While I agree that the current situation requires a serious public policy response and that minimizing the seriousness of the pandemic is not appropriate – I also am of the opinion that the political hop-scotch that our Governor is playing is irresponsible, dangerous, and leaves local leaders in a no-win situation. 

We have supported his previous orders and have encouraged for direction to be given so that there is a coordinated response led by the State.

Our support has been repaid with reversals, vagueness, and politically laced “directives.”

People have already been affected more by the economic downturn and governmental/political flip-flopping than by COVID-19. 

The inability of our Governor and others at the State and National level to provide a clear and consistent message has left us confused and crippled. 

It’s no surprise that the Governor and other elected officials have been probing reactions to acting – he and they are politicians. But we don’t need politicians right now – we need leaders.

I know feeling the derision of resistive Texans isn’t easy, but Governor Abbott created this situation by not having decisive leadership based on data, planning, and process execution. 

Rather, he played politics and rolled the dice on policy popularity polling. While I don’t agree with the trolls who want to ignore the restrictions for wearing masks and keeping social distance as the measures of the pandemic worsen – Abbott’s inability to support and stand by his previous orders, statements, and decisions has created the worsening situation and also created a lack of credibility with local leaders, such as myself.

Quite frankly, Governor Abbott has folded each time when confronted by people who protested or pushed back. 

For example – business closings in May. But he wants us to believe this time he is ignoring them, and that this time he is responding to the coronavirus as a big deal and that it is now a task worth his government’s time and attention.

The worst is yet to come as we work our way through the massive increase in community-spread and people requiring hospitalization. 

The Governor had an opportunity to gain our trust and buy-in, had he led when the occasion called for it, but instead he buckled, as so many did to politics. 

He abandoned and betrayed, not only the order he issued, but the officials who led the enforcement of his order. He hung them out to dry. 

The Governor was successfully shouted into a corner and showed he lacks the political courage to lead and follow through and it won’t be forgotten. 

Shelley Luther, owner of a Dallas hair salon closed by the orders Abbott had put in place, opened anyway and was jailed after refusing to abide by a court order telling her to close. 

After the considerable backlash that followed, Abbott removed the punishment provisions from his COVID-19 orders, effectively vindicating Luther and others who were ignoring them, and as I said, tossed the enforcement personnel (following his order) under the bus. The issue is not about Shelley Luther, the issue is about a clear lack of leadership and follow-through on an order issued that contained little ambiguity with regard to what constituted a violation and the corresponding penalty.

With that, the City of Ferris will not continue to rely on the yes, no, maybe bowl of mush that we are receiving from the Governor. We will work with our local businesses, Independent School District, community organizations, churches and religious institutions, and citizens to ensure that Ferris has clear direction and clearly communicated policies and response mechanisms in place.

I will not ask my police department and/or personnel to enforce an order that lacks the support of its own issuer. I will not ask for my personnel to step forward in support of, or in an effort to, enforce an order that doesn’t hold the weight of the paper it is printed on, primarily because politics and popularity will determine its viability and enforceability.

I will ask for citizens to wear masks and enforce that request because it makes sense, I will ask for and require social distancing, but I will not cripple businesses and betray public trust with a wishy-washy order that lacks the support needed for those asked to enforce it.

Ferris will remain vigilant and will be required to approach plans for remaining open with intelligence and a plan for mitigating risk through masks, social-distancing, high-risk group segmentation, a community focus on prevention of spread, and a continued campaign to educate our population on the risks of not following these precautions.