Number of Positive Cases Climb Higher

Pictured: PCMC held drive-up COVID-19 testing on Monday at the Pipestone County Fairgrounds. There was already a line of cars forming before the 9 a.m. opening. People first registered at a trailer and then drove through the show arena for their test. They did not have to leave their vehicles.

A few more members of the Pipestone County Board of Commissioners and the county attended the meeting via conference call rather than in person due to COVID-19. In fact, County Administrator Steve Ewing attended the meeting digitally rather than in person because he is recovering from the virus.

Ewing gave the board an update on the county’s current situation. County administration decided to keep the doors to the courthouse locked for another two weeks. County business can only be conducted by appointment, as has been the case for the six weeks or so.

As of Monday morning, the number of positive test results in Pipestone County had climbed to 113. Since the end of June, the number has continued to rise. There have now been five deaths in the county attributed to COVID-19, all at the Good Samaritan Society in Pipestone.

On Monday, Pipestone County Medical Center hosted a testing event at the new show arena at the Pipestone County Fairgrounds. We will provided updated numbers on how many positive tests resulted from that testing in next week’s Enterprise.

In a related discussion Administrator Ewing  gave an update on the CARES act. (The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, also known as the CARES Act, is a $2.2 trillion economic stimulus bill passed by Congress and signed into law by President Trump in March in response to the economic fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States.)

According to information Ewing presented from the Minnesota Department of Revenue, Pipestone County will receive more than $1.1 million in CARES funding. The city of Edgerton will receive $84,532. Pipestone will receive $321,662,  Jasper $44,827, and Ruthton would receive $15,972. The smaller towns with populations less than 200 would not receive any funding.

Several of the more populous townships, including Burke, Eden, Elmer, Gray, Osborne, Sweet, and Troy, would each receive between $5,000 and $7,000.

“I want to do it right and make sure we are using the money right.” Ewing said. He wondered if there was a way to get that money out to businesses that are suffering the most. He also thought that perhaps the county could consider helping out the smaller towns that are not getting any CARES funds.

“The idea is to get out there and put the money to use,” Ewing said. “There are a myriad of areas where we could possibly use this money.”

For the complete article, please see the July 22nd edition of the Edgerton Enterprise. If you do not currently receive the Enterprise, CLICK HERE for information on how to subscribe!