Dear Pointe Coupee Parish Residents,
Thank you for your patience during this ever-changing situation. Our number one priority is the safety, health, and welfare of our citizens. Parish Government is continuing to maintain services at this time. Things may change depending on the severity of the situation, and as new information is obtained. I want to keep you informed as we implement operational changes that will impact all residents. Please see below for the updates from today, Thursday, April 2, 2020.
Resources:
Pointe Coupee COVID Resource Hub
https://pointe-coupee-coronavirus-response-pcpla.hub.arcgis.com/
Sen. Cassidy CARES Bill Summary
Louisiana Department of Health
http://www.ldh.la.gov/coronavirus/
Center for Disease Control
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html
Office of Governor John Bel Edwards
State of Louisiana Emergency Page
http://emergency.louisiana.gov/
Louisiana Economic Development
HHS Consolidated Resource List
Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response List
CISA Essential Workforce Guidance
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April 2, 2020
Update from Parish President Major Thibaut. Today, President Thibaut has signed a proclamation in regard to additional measures to protect the public from the spread of the Novel Corona Virus. Local law enforcement is mandated to arrest anyone who knowingly and intentionally exposes the public to the COVID-19 disease. Special thanks to State Rep Jeremy Lacombe, 1st Assistant DA Tony Clayton, and Cpt Lester Jarreau of the Sheriff’s Office for researching and helping craft this proclamation.
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March 31, 2020
Statement from Parish President Major Thibaut and Pointe Coupee Parish Government
On March 11, 2020 Governor John-Bel Edwards issued an Emergency Proclamation declaring a statewide public health emergency in the State of Louisiana due to COVID-19. On March 13, 2020 the Governor Edwards made additional restrictions to the Stay at Home Order. These proclamations and declarations have the power of law and subject to enforcement.
Over the past week parish government, local health care providers, and law enforcement have received repeated reports of violations of the Emergency Proclamation throughout the parish. As such, local, parish, and state law enforcement agencies as well as other state authorities including ATC and the State Fire Marshall, will be acting to enforce these rules set by the Governor.
Restaurants are prohibited from allowing dine-in service to ANY customers regardless of group size. Restaurants may operate under only delivery, drive-thru/curbside, and pick-up. Customers may not wait inside of the establishment or consume on the premises.
Effective immediately, False River will have increased patrols by Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries and the Pointe Coupee Parish Sheriff’s Office. They will be issuing citations for violations to the Stay at Home Order.
Businesses not deemed essential under the Governor’s Order who continue to operate will be closed and their parish occupational license revoked. A summons will be issued for violation of the Stay at Home Order.
Groups of 10 or more in any setting outdoor/indoor public or private will be disbanded by law enforcement and the property owner and attendees will be issued a summons for violation of the Stay at Home Order.
Additionally, we are asking essential businesses and essential employees to follow the guidelines below:
Examples of businesses that this would apply to would include grocery stores, dollar stores, convenience stores, and pharmacies.
Business with public areas totaling:
10,000 square feet or more – 25 or less customers at a time
9,999-5,000 square feet – 15 or less customers at a time
4,999-1,000 square feet – 10 or less customers at a time
We are asking businesses to set a limit of 1 designated shopper and setting a time limit per shopper to 30 minutes.
There has been extended discussion by regarding a curfew with local law enforcement. At this time, there are no plans to institute a curfew. COVID-19 is infectious every minute of every hour. It can be transmitted at 1:00 a.m. just as easy at 1:00 p.m. THE WAY TO STOP THE SPREAD IS TO ABIDE BY THE GOVERNOR’S ORDER AND STAY AT HOME. Restrict movement not the time of movement. The Stay-At-Home Proclamation is in effect a curfew for the entire State of Louisiana.
Finally, if you see something, say something. Please call the Pointe Coupee Parish Sheriff’s Office Dispatch at 225-694-3737 if you see any violation of the Stay at Home Order.
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March 24, 2020
Updated protective measures.
All Pointe Coupee Parish Government’s essential functions remain operational. All public buildings are closed to the public. Any daily business may be conducted by phone, electronic means, or dropbox located at the Courthouse Annex.
Pointe Coupee Parish Clerk of Court
- The Office of the Clerk of Court for the Parish of Pointe Coupee will be operating effective Tuesday, March 24, 2020, with limited staff, resources and services until further notice.
- Pursuant to the provisions of LA R.S. 1:55E (2), that the Office of the
Clerk of Court for the Parish of Pointe Coupee shall be closed to the public except to accommodate emergency filings and protective orders.
Customers shall contact the Clerk of Court@ 225-638-9596 regarding any emergency matters or to access their Online Imaging Database by subscription. Fax filings can be sent to 225-638-9590. - The days and hours of operation shall be reduced effective Tuesday,
March 24, 2020 to Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 8:30 a.m.
until 4:30 p.m. and shall remain on schedule until further notice.
Pointe Coupee School System will suspend meal service starting March 26, 2020. Wednesday’s meal service will consist of 3 breakfast and lunch meals for the rest of the week.
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March 22, 2020
GATHERINGS AND EVENTS
To the extent that the Stay At Home Order described below is not applicable, Executive Order 33 JBE 2020 now mandates that all events and activities which involve a gathering of more than 10 persons SHALL be postponed or canceled. The 10 person limitation includes all event staff and security personnel and applies to outdoor and indoor events. Moreover, this restriction applies to any congregation of persons in a single area at the same time. Specifically excepted are operations at locations like airports, medical facilities, office buildings, factories or manufacturing facilities, or grocery stores.
STAY-HOME ORDER IN EFFECT
As you are no doubt aware, Governor John Bel Edwards has issued Executive Order Number 33 JBE 2020 which declares in Section 3:
To preserve the public health and safety, and to ensure the healthcare system is capable of serving all citizens in need, especially those at high risk and vulnerable to COVID-19, all individuals within the State of Louisiana ARE UNDER A GENERAL STAT-AT-HOME ORDER AND ARE DIRECTED TO STAY HOME UNLESS PERFORMING AN ESSENTIAL ACTIVITY.
An activity is deemed essential if the purpose is one of the following:
- Obtaining food, medicine, and other similar goods necessary for the individual or a family member of the individual.
- Obtaining non-elective medical care and treatment and other similar vital services for an individual or a family member of the individual.
- Going to and from an individual’s workplace to perform a job function necessary to provide goods or services being sought in the preceding sections, or as otherwise deemed essential worker functions.
- Going to and from the home of a family member.
- Going to and from an individual’s place of worship.
- Engaging in an outdoor activity, providing individuals to maintain a distance of six feet from one another and abide by the 10-person limitation on gatherings.
Guidance for determining what constitutes essential workers can be found at https://www.cisa.gov/identifying-critical-infrastructure-during covid-19. Attached is a quick reference sheet that defines those activities/businesses which are exempt from the Stay At Home Order. Note that the exemption includes grocery stores, pharmacies, medical offices, truck stops, gasoline stations, petroleum ventures, auto repair facilities, maintenance workers, (plumbers, electricians, etc.), and agricultural workers.
For guidance, the following the NEW MANDATES have resulted in the closure of:
- All Libraries
- Parks INCLUDING PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT
- Section 8 Housing
- Tourism Departments
- Planning and Zoning
- Public RV Parks
- Community Centers
Health Units will operate on a limited basis according to LDH guidelines.
Likewise, the Animal Shelter will have limited hours of operation. Boat ramps will remain open to accommodate the fisheries industry.
Moreover, the new restrictions still apply to Churches where any single service will include more than 10 persons.
For more guidance, it is noted that the measures specifically include the following activities and places there were hereto exempt:
- Places of public amusement whether indoors or outdoors
- Zoos
- Museums
- All Fairs and Festivals
- Arcades
- Playgrounds
- Personal care and grooming businesses
- Barbershops and beauty salons
- Nail salons
- Spas
- Massage parlors
- Tattoo parlors
- ALL MALLS EXCEPT FOR STORES IN A MALL THAT HAVE A DIRECT OUTDOOR ENTRANCE AND EXIT AND THAT PROVIDE ESSENTIAL SERVICES AND PRODUCTS
The previous closures remain in effect: health clubs/fitness centers, restaurants offering on-premise food consumption, casinos, bars, lounges, etc.
Section 4(B) of the new Executive Order specifically declares that businesses which can remain open under the new guidelines (not including the essential businesses such as grocery stores) shall reduce operations so as to abide by the 10-person limitations and shall practice “social distancing.” The ESSENTIAL BUSINESS does not have to abide by the 10-person limitations.
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Update as of March 18, 2020
As of 3/18/2020, the following governmental offices of Pointe Coupee are currently operational:
· Pointe Coupee Parish Government;
· Pointe Coupee Sheriff’s Office;
· Registar of Voters;
· Tax Assessor;
· Judges Office;
· District Attorney
· Clerk of Court; and
Pointe Coupee General Hospital
We are taking additional protective measures to ensure the safety of our employees and the public. In accordance with the CDC guidelines of social distancing and other protective measures, we are restricting access to public buildings. If you can conduct your business by telephone or electronic means it is highly encouraged. Currently, all courthouse visitors must state their business and be screened before entering.
Pointe Coupee Parish Government:
Parish Government is fully staffed and fully operational; however, we are asking that the public utilize on-line services as much as possible. The Permits Department is asking residents to handle permit transactions online at our website www.pcparish.org.
Our Utilities/Gas Department is accepting payments through the annex lockbox at the front door of the annex. Envelopes are available at the lockbox. Payments must be enclosed in an envelope with your name and phone number on the front of the envelope. Cash payments will be accepted by the lockbox but no change will be given – a credit will be applied to your bill for any overages.
Office #: 225-638-9556
Courthouse Points of Contact:
Pointe Coupee Sheriff’s Office
Open to screened public or: Website: www.pcpso.org
Office #: 225-638-5400
Registar of Voters:
By appointment only or:
Website: geauxvote.com
Office #: 225-638-5537 Email: pointecoupeerov@sos.la.gov
Tax Assessor:
By appointment only or: Website: www.ptcoupeeassessor.com
Office #: 225-638-7077 Email: pcassessor@bellsouth.net
18th JDC Judges Office Division A (Judge Kevin Kimball)
By appointment only
Office #: 225-638-5532
Clerk of Court
By appointment only or:
Window drop box located on Alamo Street
Website: Please contact the clerk for access to their online imaging database
Office #: 225-638-9596 Fax: 225-9594
18th JDC District Attorney’s Office
By appointment only or: Website: www.18thjda.org/
Office #: 225-638-5531
Email: caguillard@18thjda.org
Pointe Coupee General Hospital
Effective Wednesday, March 18th at 6 am, PCGH will implement secure access. Everyone will be screened prior to entering. Visitor restrictions will continue as before. All outpatients will enter through the Lab parking lot entrance and ER patients will enter through the ER waiting room. We appreciate your cooperation.
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March 16, 2020
Major Thibaut, Pointe Coupee Parish President, announced the following updates regarding COVID-19:
President Thibaut declared a State of Emergency for Pointe Coupee on March 16, 2020.
Parish Government is fully staffed and fully operational; however, we are asking that the public utilize on-line services as much as possible. The Permits Department is asking residents to handle permit transactions online at our website www.pcparish.org.
There will be limited access to the Pointe Coupee Parish Courthouse. A sheriff’s deputy and qualified screener will screen all visitors to the courthouse for symptoms before allowing entry. Entry can only be accessed by the front doors. All jury trials are to be reset no earlier than March 30, 2020. Criminal Appearances will be conducted via telephone or video when possible.
The Pointe Coupee Parish Detention center is closed to visitors.
Our Utilities/Gas Department is accepting payments through the annex lockbox at the front door of the annex. Envelopes are available at the lockbox. Payments must be enclosed in an envelope with your name and phone number on the front of the envelope. Cash payments will be accepted by the lockbox but no change will be given – a credit will be applied to your bill for any overages.
Animal Services is operational however officers will respond to emergency calls only. Please call Pointe Coupee Parish Sheriff’s Office dispatch at 225-694-3737.
All Pointe Coupee Parish Recreation Programs are postponed – including all team practices. No teams will be allowed to use the facilities.
The Parish Museum has closed as of March 16, 2020.
Hand washing stations have been placed outside of the courthouse and courthouse annex buildings.
The Pointe Coupee Council on Aging has closed its senior centers and lunch centers until further notice. Senior Citizens who receive meals at these sites should call the COA at 225-638-4402 to arrange for delivery. All requests for information and assistance should be made by phone. The transportation system will continue as of now.
Pointe Coupee Parish Public Schools announced beginning Tuesday, March 17, will offer pick up only hot lunch and prepackaged breakfast distribution from 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., on weekdays at Rosenwald Elementary, Livonia High School, and Upper Pointe Coupee Elementary.
The Pointe Coupee Parish Library system is closed. WIFI is available in the parking lots. Databases can be used at www.pointe-coupee.lib.la.us Library employees are available by phone for reference questions and support.
We ask our citizens to please purchase essential items like groceries as normal (one week supply) versus wiping out shelves and hoarding.
The Governor has stated that grocery stores and pharmacies WILL remain open.
The Governor has announced the ban of gatherings of more than 50 people. He has also closed casinos, gyms, bars and movie theaters and limited restaurants to delivery, take-out and drive-through only. The changes take effect at midnight March 17th and may be lifted April 13th
Updates are will be continually on our Facebook page. We want to slow the spread of the virus by prevention. We are asking all citizens to continue to monitor local information about COVID-19 in our community. Adhere to current CDC recommendations. Help Prevent the Spread. Be a part of the community response. Cover your cough, stay home if you are sick, wash your hands frequently and thoroughly with soap and water, or with a hand sanitizer containing at least 60% alcohol if soap and water are not available. Disinfect frequently touched surfaces. Avoid close contact (within six feet) with those who are sick. For updates on the state’s response to the coronavirus situation, visit LDH.louisiana.gov/Coronavirus. Additional resources are also available from the CDC at www.coronavirus.gov/.