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At Monday evening’s meeting of the Dallas County Commission, the commission approved several resolutions discussed at a press conference held by the commission last Wednesday in response to the COVID-19 outbreak.

The first resolution passed by the commission was a resolution declaring a state of emergency in Dallas County amid the COVID-19 outbreak and an allocation of $200,000 for the purchase of supplies, equipment, materials and the payment of related expenses due to the County’s response to the COVID-19 emergency.

Secondly, the commission approved a resolution amending its regular meeting schedule and meeting place.

Rather than meet the second and fourth Monday of each month in the Commission Chambers in the Dallas County Courthouse Annex at 4 p.m., through the month of May the commission will meet only once per month on the second Monday at 4 p.m. in the second-floor courtroom of the Dallas County Courthouse.

Lastly, the commission approved a proposal allowing Commission Chairman and Probate Judge Jimmy Nunn to make administrative decisions relating to issues affecting county personnel and procedures during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Elsewhere in the meeting, Nunn discussed the possibility of closing the Dallas County Courthouse to the public, which 34 of the state’s 67 counties have done, with the rest of the commission.

As of Monday at noon, the Dallas County Courthouse is one of 17 in the state that is opened to the public but with limited access, the others being Chilton, Cleburne, DeKalb, Etowah, Geneva, Henry, Lauderdale, Lee, Macon, Marion, Mobile, Perry, Pickens, St. Clair, Shelby and Walker counties.

Nunn voiced his concern about the spreading virus.

“It’s not if, it’s when,” he said. “This is growing.”

After much discussion, the commission decided to leave the status of the Dallas County Courthouse as is, open to the public but with limited access.

In the event the commission needs to further meet they can call a special meeting to discuss the matter