TEXARKANA, Ark. - City and Miller County officials said Tuesday they will begin working in separate emergency offices on the Arkansas side, citing concerns about crowding at the coronavirus Joint Operations Center in Texarkana, Texas.
Arkansas-side officials will work from the county Office of Emergency Management at 1007 Jefferson Ave. The goal is to follow social distancing guidelines they have continually advised the public to observe, County Judge Cathy Hardin Harrison and Mayor Allen Brown said. Federal, state and local officials recommend staying at home if possible and limiting gatherings to 10 people or fewer.
"There were 30 people in that room (the Joint Operations Center) this morning, and it's about the size of my office," Harrison said.
Miller County will continue to coordinate pandemic response with Bowie County and Cass County in Texas, Harrison said.
Asked if there were any rift between the Arkansas-side and Texas-side response teams, Brown was unequivocal.
"No. Absolutely not," he said.
Other space in the offices of the Ark-Tex Council of Governments - where the Joint Operations Center is headquartered - was considered, but the Jefferson offices were chosen because they are already equipped with the necessary telephones and computers, Harrison said.
"We are committed to making the best decisions possible for every citizen of Miller County and ask for your continued support and understanding. We will continue to stay in contact with Governor Hutchinson and our local Legislators to ensure an open line of communication which will include the City of Texarkana, Texas and Bowie County," a late afternoon news release stated.
The Arkansas-side emergency center can be reached at 870-772-2591. More local pandemic information is available at the Joint Operations Center's website, coronatxk.org.