YPSILANTI, MI -- Ypsilanti Mayor Beth Bashert has declared a state of emergency for the city in response to the coronavirus pandemic.

A special City Council meeting at 6:30 p.m. Friday, March 13, is scheduled to discuss the state of the emergency.

“Under this state of emergency, we will be making choices to protect the health of all our residents and visitors, with special attention to our most vulnerable residents including our elderly and people with pre-existing health conditions,” according to the public notice issued Thursday, March 12.

The declaration allows the city to request state aid if the disaster is beyond the control of the regular and emergency city forces, according to the city charter. Bashert said the declaration and special meeting will also establish which city-owned buildings and services will continue or change as the pandemic unfolds.

“As services and buildings shut down, many of our residents rely on these services for their needs," Bashert said. "How do we continue to protect these people?”

Council will use Friday’s special meeting to make contingency plans for city-managed buildings, events and services, and establish how to conduct public meetings that meet the state’s Open Meetings Act requirements, she said. City Council will also discuss potential protections for vulnerable populations, such as senior residents.

Two cases of COVID-19, the illness caused by the novel coronavirus, were confirmed in Michigan on Tuesday night, March 10. One of the cases is being treated by the University of Michigan Health System.

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