Henrico board concurs in local emergency declaration after storm; manager to seek lift by unanimous consent

Henrico County supervisors added to the agenda and approved a resolution concurring in the county manager’s Jan. 23 declaration of a local emergency related to Winter Storm Fern.

Mr. Newby told the board the declaration provides statutory authority for expanded flexibility in procurement and other emergency actions. He said the chief of the Department of Emergency Management and Workplace Safety recommended approval and the county manager concurred. A supervisor noted the emergency declaration allowed staff to prepare and keep options available even though many contingency steps ultimately were not needed.

The county manager had earlier described the county’s multi-agency response to the storm: “The Department of Public Works had 300 employees that were working 24/7, 110 pieces of equipment,” he said, and staff organized EOC shifts and food support for crews and vulnerable residents. Managers also secured hotel rooms for residents who could become medically vulnerable to power outages and cold.

By unanimous voice vote the board approved the resolution to concur in the local emergency declaration. The manager said he would later ask the board via unanimous consent at the end of the meeting to lift the county-declared state of emergency.

The resolution enables temporary procurement flexibility and other emergency measures while the declaration remains in effect; the board did not take further immediate action on lifting it during the meeting.