Precinct 4 Commissioner Russ Boles, who made the motion, said he believes the county was in a different place than when the order was put in place March 14.
“I just don't see a need for us to have a disaster order at this point,” Boles said. “It's time for us to turn the page and see what's on the next page.”
The court said it will continue to follow Gov. Greg Abbott's orders as it tries to return to normalcy as much as possible.
On May 18, Abbott announced the second phase of reopening the state, which would allow child care centers and sporting events to open with parameters. He also said restaurants may open May 22 at 50% capacity, and bars, wine tasting rooms and breweries may open at 25% capacity.
“[Williamson County has] walked through perhaps its most difficult days ever as a government,” Williamson County Judge Bill Gravell said. “And I do believe that Williamson County was brought to its knees, but I do believe that our county is standing again and that our county will stand strong.”
The county will maintain its emergency order to purchase personal protective equipment, such as masks. This will allow the purchasing department to continue to purchase items as needed without court approval.
As of May 19, the county reported 501 confirmed cases of coronavirus. Of those, 276 have recovered, per the report.
In other business:
- The court declared May 17-23 as Emergency Medical Services Week.
- The court voted to cancel its May 26 and July 7 meetings.
