UPDATED CITY OF ROANOKE RAPIDS PUBLIC SAFETY CURFEW

AND PROHIBITED PUBLIC GATHERINGS ORDER

Effective Friday April 3, 2020 at 9:00 p.m.

On April 2, 2020 Mayor Doughtie imposed a Public Safety Curfew within the City of Roanoke Rapids, NC, daily from 9:00 PM to 6:00 AM beginning Friday April 3, 2020. Below are questions and answers relating to the curfew and public gatherings Order.

What is a curfew?

• A curfew restricts travel during specific hours upon public streets, alleys or roadways or on public property except by those in need of medical assistance, food or other commodities or services necessary for the well-being of themselves or a member of their family.

What is the curfew for the City of Roanoke Rapids?

• The City of Roanoke Rapids curfew requires all residents, except those who are expressly exempt, to stay at home daily beginning at 9:00 PM until 6:00 AM the next morning.
• Those traveling for medical assistance, food or other commodity or services necessary to sustain the well-being of themselves or family are allowed to leave their homes during the curfew.

 How long is the curfew in effect?

• The curfew begins Friday April 3, 2020 and remains in effect until rescinded by the Mayor.

 Why have a curfew in addition to the statewide “Stay at Home” order?

• Mayor Doughtie has implemented this curfew as an added precaution to preserve healthcare capacity and to allow public safety and emergency personnel to easily respond to any healthcare and safety situation.

 Who is expressly exempt?

• Police officers, firemen, doctors, nurses and other such classes of persons as may be essential to the preservation of public order and immediately necessary to serve the safety, health and welfare needs of the people with the City.

What if I travel to or from work during curfew hours?

• Businesses are encouraged to have employees work remotely, but if your employer has deemed you are essential and unable to work remotely, travel to and from work during curfew hours is allowed.

 How is this enforced and what happens if I do not obey the curfew?

• The curfew is enforced by the Roanoke Rapids Police Department. Officers will initially attempt to enforce through education, dialogue and seeking voluntary cooperation from all residents and businesses. If residents/businesses do not voluntarily comply, the Police Department is able to issue citations.

 What if I live outside the City limits?

• The curfew only applies within the City limits. If you work within the City limits, your business/employer must comply with this curfew unless your employer has deemed you are essential and unable to work remotely.

I own or operate an essential business. Does my business need to obey the curfew?

• Essential businesses are exempt from the curfew. Examples of essential businesses that may continue operations during curfew hours include but are not limited to food establishments, pharmacies, and grocery stores.

My household includes 12 permanent residents. If mass gatherings of 10 or more are prohibited, what does this mean for my household?

• If your permanent household residents exceed 10 or more persons, then the total number of persons living in your household are considered your maximum for mass gathering purposes.

Mass gatherings of 10 or more persons are prohibited. Is that only during the City’s curfew hours?

• No, mass gatherings of 10 or more persons are prohibited at all times under N.C. Governor Cooper’s Executive Order No. 121. Executive Order No. 121 went into effect Monday, March 30, 2020 at 5:00 PM and shall remain in effect for thirty (30) days or until repealed, replaced, or rescinded by another Executive Order.  

First Amendment to the declaration issuing a State of Emergency within the City of Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina, pursuant to Article 1A, Chapter 166A, NCGS 166A-19.22; and Chapter 93 of The Code of Ordinances for the City of Roanoke Rapids.

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MESSAGE FROM CITY MANAGER ON COVID-19

City encourages citizens to take precaution, abide by order

Roanoke Rapids, NC – The City of Roanoke Rapids supports the mandates in Governor Cooper’s Executive Order No. 121 and ask all our citizens to voluntarily abide by it. We need to take every possible precaution to limit the spread of the COVID-19 virus, especially to reduce the burden of virus care on our health care providers. While the mandates are very upsetting to everyone’s lives, it is so important that we abide by them to help get us through this crisis.

We are experiencing something that most of us could not have imagined. As you know, the COVID-19 situation changes daily, sometimes hourly. While we simply do not know what will happen next, we all need to do our part in helping to defeat this virus so we can eventually get back to our normal lives.

We will get by. We will survive. We’re in this together…apart

MESSAGE FROM MAYOR DOUGHTIE TO CITIZENS OF

ROANOKE RAPIDS ON COVID-19

March 24, 2020

Dear friends and neighbors,

We are living in an unprecedented time in our recent history, with this COVID-19 situation. The only other state of affairs like this I’m aware of is the polio situation our country experienced in the early 1950’s that my parents told me about. I know families with young children today are trying to explain to their children what is going on and why as well.

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