It was a busy weekend in White County, and while the county usually thrives on tourism, in the midst of this pandemic the crowds are not a welcome sight.
The White County Board of Commissioners recently enacted a local state of emergency which establishes an emergency protective ordinance to help control the spread of COVID-19. Officials now say that events over the March 27-28 weekend indicate that “there are still many people not following the rules.”
Areas of concern
Commissioners issued a press release Monday outlining several areas of concern. Chief among them, despite the fact that outdoor recreation facilities and local trails are shut down, people are still using them. Visitors are parking cars on the side of the road near local trails, creating traffic hazards. Chambers Road, which leads to the trailhead for Yonah Mountain, has become a public safety problem. Many of the violators have out-of-county license plates officials say.
They’re now trying to put a stop to it.
The county has put up barricades and posted signs along the road notifying people that the trail is closed. The sheriff’s office is assigning extra deputies to patrol the Yonah Mountain trailhead. A deputy also will be assigned to monitor the US Forest Service trailheads on Richard Russell Scenic Highway and at the head of the Chattahoochee River.
County officials also chained the gate to Yonah Preserve after someone pried open the electronic gate to gain access to the area’s mountain bike and hiking trails.
Filing complaints
Commissioners say they’ve received “numerous calls” from concerned citizens asking why major roads entering White County are not closed to keep out people from other areas. “The main reason is that the main roads are federal and state highways and not under the jurisdiction of White County,” officials explain.
Gov. Brian Kemp on March 23 issued an executive order requiring medically-fragile Georgians to shelter in place and implementing rules on social distancing (six feet apart) and community gatherings (no more than ten people at a time).
White County commissioners urge residents to report individuals or businesses that violate Kemp’s order at www.gov.georgia.gov. After accessing the website, click “Contact Us” and then click on “Constituent Services.” There’s a form they must fill out. Anyone filing an online complaint must include the following information:
1. Business Name/Location;
2. Address
3. County
4. Telephone Number
5. Specific details of the complaint
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