Centre County Commissioner Chair, Michael Pipe, says they’re hearing how businesses are struggling and they want the county to move into the green phase, but they fear doing so before the June 2nd election could further spread the virus, locally.

“Local officials in Centre County say that they weren’t ready to move, so we honored their request that they not move into the green,” Governor Tom Wolf, said. “I think they’ve done a phenomenal job, you’re absolutely right, yet they didn’t think they were ready, and we honored their request.”

Centre County Commissioner Chair, Michael Pipe, says on Friday in a noon conference call, the three Centre County Commissioners recommended to Governor Wolf that the county go into the green phase as soon as Wednesday, June 3rd, the day after Election Day.

“We were concerned that if there was a green phase, four days prior to that event were you could have the virus spreading and infecting people and making people sick here in our community, who are either working the poles or going into vote, we wanted to make sure that we have the green phase after that,” Michael Pipe, Chair, Centre County Commissioners, said.

Senator Jake Corman says businesses can’t wait any longer.

“When you’re a small business that’s operating, a business like a salon, or gyms, any type of fitness, any type of healthcare kinda’ related issues there, the week’s important and now they’ve been told they have to wait, and in another week there’s no guarantee they’ll be able to turn to green phase,” Jake Corman, Senator for the 34th District, said.

Because the reopening process happens on Fridays, Governor Wolf has announced Centre County will move into the green phase on Friday, June 5th.

Centre County Commissioners are expected to answer questions from the public about the commssioners recommendation to stay in the yellow phase after the primary, at their weekly commissioner meeting on Tuesday at 10 A.M.
About five people will be allowed in the meeting to ask questions, though they will accept questions over the phone.

Chair Pipe, says he has received many calls and emails from people unhappy with the Commissioners recommendation to the Governor. He says he has had some people post his address publicly online.

“When people start posting my home address on social media, that’s very concerning to me,” Chair Pipe, said. “I have no problem if people show up here at my place of work at the Willowbank building, if they come again and call me on my work phone, on my personal cell phone, I put that out there for anybody to call me on. I don’t mind that, but when you start involving members of family in this and have the concern out there, that’s just irresponsible.”