C.O. leaders don’t aim to make sweeping changes to reopen schools

(Update: Adding video, school board meeting, Deschutes Brewery comments)

School board seeks 'targeted, specific action'

BEND, Ore (KTVZ) -- Bend-La Pine School Board Chair Carrie Douglass is in a tight situation.

"We're dealing with not being to open our schools, because of the spread of cases, but don't have a lot of power, individually," she told NewsChannel 21 on Tuesday.

Douglass and the rest of the Bend-La Pine School Board recently wrote a letter to several leaders including Bend Mayor Sally Russell and the Deschutes County Board of Commissioners, urging the expansion of efforts to control the spread of COVID-19.

"We want to see them take targeted, specific action based on what's really causing spread," Douglass said.

She added that controlling the spread of the virus enough to bring students back into the classroom should be a priority for everyone.

On Tuesday evening, the school board met along with Russell and Deschutes County Commissioner Tony DeBone to discuss their vision moving forward.

DeBone said he understands the frustrations, but is confident the majority of people are following guidelines.

"To pick a business or business type and say, You can't do that' -- I don't know if we have any examples of that," DeBone said. "Every business can work in this environment. I see it as full-on call to arms by friends, families, and neighbors to support this effort."

In response, Russell has called an emergency meeting with the Bend City Council for noon Thursday to discuss what they can do. (A link to the meeting for those wishing to watch will be available here.)

"This is the moment to really see, OK, how can we engage the community and decrease COVID cases, make it safer for everyone and get our kids back in school?" Russell said.

According to Assistant City Attorney Ian Leitheiser, the city does have some authority to help.

He told NewsChannel 21; “The city's code authorizes the city to exercise emergency powers. What actions would be appropriate in a given circumstance can depend on the data, the nature of the emergency, and the relationship of proposed local actions to any state orders or guidance that may be in place.”

If further restrictions are put in place, what would that mean for businesses?

NewsChannel 21 asked Melissa Talbot, assistant general manager at Deschutes Brewery in downtown Bend.

"Restaurants are the safest place you can be right now, because we already have to follow strict restrictions put on us by the county Health Department," Talbot said. "We're already doing what we need to do, and we're doing what we can above and beyond." 

Talbot said she believes there is a misinterpretation that restaurants are the ones causing the spread.

She added that she also has two kids in high school and wants them to return just as much as any other parents, but being out of work could do more damage than necessary.

DeBone said earlier Tuesday that as of now, there aren't plans for new county-level restrictions.

But there is a chance for the leaders to collaborate more than they have so far in the pandemic.

"I think the value of what's going to happen right now is the county commission, the city council, the Bend-La Pine School Board -- we'll invite other school boards -- we all really need to start working together,” DeBone said.

But Douglass said none of that will matter if there isn't enforcement.

"One conversation is, do we need more restrictions?” she said. “Another is, are we enforcing the restrictions that are already in place?"

Both the Deschutes County Sheriff's Office and Bend Police Department responded to the letter by saying they will continue to enforce and educate about laws and guidelines related to COVID-19.