The City of Kennesaw declared a State of Emergency this afternoon due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The order was issued by Kennesaw Mayor Derek Easterling.

Earlier in the day the City of Smyrna declared a State of Emergency that restricted certain businesses.

The Kennesaw declaration contained no such restrictions, but the declaration leaves the possibility open.

The city distributed the following public information release about the declaration:

Kennesaw, GA (March 20, 2020) — On Thursday, March 20, 2020, City of Kennesaw’s Mayor Derek Easterling declared a State of Emergency. The declaration follows the President of the United States declaring a National Public Health Emergency on Friday March 13, 2020, the Governor of the State of Georgia declaring a State Emergency in Georgia on March 14, 2020; and the World Health Organization has declaring Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) a Public Health Emergency of International Concern on January 30, 2020.

Kennesaw’s Code of Ordinances, Sec. 34-2, grants the power to declare a state of emergency to protect the safety, health, and welfare of the public.

At this time, the City of Kennesaw is not taking actions to further reduce or restrict businesses from operating or establish curfews; this declaration does set the framework that will allow the City to respond expeditiously should the need arise.

This declaration of an emergency shall continue until the Mayor finds that the emergency conditions no longer exists, at which time the Mayor shall execute and file with the City Clerk a document marking the end of the state of emergency. No state of emergency shall continue for longer than 30 days, unless renewed by the Mayor. The City Council may, by resolution, end a state of emergency at any time. See, Sec. 34-2(a)(3).

For updates from the City of Kennesaw, please visit www.kennesaw-ga.gov/covid-19.