(BIVN) – The Hawaiʻi County Council pushed Hawaiʻi County Mayor Harry Kim to take action as the number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 grows across the state.

The council met during a special emergency meeting in Hilo on Friday. The council got an update from the Hawaiʻi Department of Health director Dr. Bruce Anderson, and then got an update from Mayor Harry Kim, who surprised everyone when he countered a 15 Days to Slow the Spread directive from Governor David Ige, announcing instead that restaurants, bars, and places of worship may make their own decision as to whether they stay open or close.

“As elected officials, we have a responsibility to protect our community,” Puna Councilwoman Ashley Kierkiewicz wrote to Mayor Kim the day before the special meeting. “I’ve done my part to keep our community informed, prepared, and calm by pushing out clear, consistent, and timely information. I’ve urged residents to stock up, hunker down, and practice social distancing since those directives were not being articulated strongly enough by State or County leadership.”

“You must do more to slow the spread of COVID-19,” Kierkiewicz said. “Suspend non-essential County services now, send everyone home, close all public spaces where people gather, and order residents to isolate immediately.”

The mayor was bombarded by similar requests from other councilmembers, who have all been fielding worried calls and emails from their constituents demanding that the county do more to stop the spread of the coronavirus on the Big Island.

As the mayor spoke to the council, a letter signed by the entire Hawaiʻi Island Legislative delegation was circulated, which called the mayor to take immediate action. The letter reads: