As of this morning, Butte is holding steady at 11 cases of COVID-19. There is still no community spread to report, but we ask that you stay vigilant in protecting yourself and your family by remaining at home and practicing caution when going out for essential items. In Montana, there are 208 cases of COVID-19 with 17 hospitalizations and 5 total deaths.
I would like to remind everyone in Silver Bow County that if you have questions related to COVID-19, The Butte-Silver Bow Health Department has a call center set up, and there is a nurse on hand that is available to answer your questions. The phone number for the call center is 406-497-5008. They are open daily between 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m.
In order to adhere to social distancing standards, Butte-Silver Bow’s IT Department has been working hard on ways we can effectively conduct Council of Commissioners meetings without having a large group gathering. Council meetings are essential to keep the business of local government running.
Tonight, Wednesday, April 1, 2020, the council is planning to meet remotely for their regular meeting. Citizens can live stream the meeting by going to our webpage: co.silverbow.mt.us, and in the upper-right-hand corner, click on media, which will bring you to our livestream page. Once you reach the page, remember to click on today’s meeting date, and the icon that says streaming live.
This is in-line with guidelines issued by Montana’s Attorney General Tim Fox on how local government should conduct open meetings during COVID-19.
Citizens of Butte-Silver Bow are able to submit written comments to the council via email at: public-input@bsb.mt.gov; drop-off their comments into the drop box in the vestibule at the east entrance of the courthouse; or call into the meeting during the public comment period for items on the agenda at 406-497-5009.
In addition, the council will now be meeting every other week and other county boards and commissions have postponed meetings with the exception of the Board of Health whose meetings are essential to keep our community safe.
I would also like to announce that the Butte-Silver Bow Board of Health has extended the closure of non-essential Butte-Silver Bow government buildings to in-person business until May 1, 2020.
I want to thank all our citizens for pulling together and doing everything you can to stay safe. I truly appreciate all your efforts.