Hamilton County opening

Mayor Jim Coppinger says Hamilton County will open with the rest of the state on May 1st.

Chattanooga Mayor Andy Berke says the city will not.

At 6.

Hamilton county mayor jim coppinger says that he does plan to reopen the county along with most of tennessee.

This comes after governor bill lee announced he plans to reopen the state at the end of the month.

But chattanooga mayor andy berke says chattanooga would not be following in his steps.

News 12's joeli poole helps break down exactly what this means.

Tennessee governor bill lee announced some businesses could start opening as soon as monday with the majority of businesses opening by the end of the month.

Governor bill lee "it is our firm intent that by may first , the end of next week, the vast majority of closed businesses in 89 tennessee counties will be allowed to reopen.

These busisnesses will open according to specific guidelines and guidance that will be provided by state and national experts, in both busisness and in medicine."

Shortly after the announcement on monday chattanooga mayor andy berke stated that the city will not be following in line with governor lee's plan.

Mayor andy berke "the governor's order today does not apply to hamilton county, in fact what he has consistently said is that he knows that these big four cities need to figure out what's right for them."

On tuesday, hamilton county mayor jim coppinger announced the county will move along in the reopening process despite mayor berke's announcement.

Mayor jim coppinger " we feel like hamilton county is able and will reopen on may the first and i sincerly hope that our municipalities will do so as well."

Mayor coppinger says there is no conflict between him and mayor berke, that both the city and county will end up at the same place in the end.

Officials want to remind people that the reopening of the county will continue in phases.

Mayor jim coppinger " no one should expect that on may first that everything is just going to go back to normal.

We are going to go through this in phases.

What we hope to see and what were going to see is going to be some restrictions when you open.

Some of the requirements will hold a lot of emphasis on social distancing."

Coppinger says if they see a spike in the virus numbers, he will reverse his decision.

In hamilton county, joeli poole, news 12 now.

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