Whitefish declares state of emergency

Whitefish Mayor John Muhlfeld on Thursday declared a state of emergency for the city of Whitefish related to the novel coronavirus.

“This emergency ordinance is designed to commit all available resources and take all possible action to combat and prevent the spread of COVID-19 in our community,” Muhlfeld said in a prepared statement. “While this is definitely not a time to panic, it is a time to take bold action because what we do immediately will have long-term implications.”

The emergency order allows the city to activate the response and recovery aspects of any and all local disaster and emergency plans, which includes mobilizing all available city resources, the authority to control ingress and egress to all or part of the city of Whitefish, and reaffirming the ability to require employees that perform non-essential city services to work remotely.

The city is also asking potential visitors to Whitefish to delay any trips and reschedule their visit in the coming months when the risks to the community have passed.

“I am empathic to everyone’s unique state of affairs, knowing many families and businesses are under enormous stress during this rapidly changing situation,” Muhlfeld said. “The city will take all steps possible to assist our families and local businesses during this crisis.”

The full declaration can be accessed at cityofwhitefish.org.