Phase 3 approval may not be as fast as it was for Phase 2

If Grays Harbor gets approved to move to Phase 3 on Friday, it may not be an immediate lessening of restrictions.

At the Hoquiam City Council meeting on Monday, Grays Harbor County Commissioner Vickie Raines spoke about the current plans for the variance.

Friday is the soonest that Grays Harbor could move into Phase 3 according to Governor Inslee’s “Safe Start” plan. Pacific County is eligible as of Saturday, June 13.

According to Raines, an application is already in-the-works and both the Board of Health and Board of Commissioners plan to meet on Friday to submit a variance request that day.

Raines said that according to Dr. John Wiesman, Washington Secretary of Health, the timeframe for approvals has been taking longer than it did for Phase 2 variances, so we may not see a change for a few days.

Raines also added that county operations are currently being looked at to build a reopening plan after being closed to the public for some time.