By Scott D. Johnston

Grays Harbor Newspaper Group

Ocean Shores Mayor Crystal Dingler was invited to participate in Gov. Jay Inslee’s televised COVID-19 update press conference Friday afternoon, and used the opportunity to do what was unthinkable just a few weeks ago. She implored people to stay away from her town, which is heavily dependent on tourism.

“Grays Harbor visitors and residents: to remain healthy we need to continue social distancing and staying home. It’s really important to all of us that people from an infected area, or from any area because any of us can be infected, don’t come to Grays Harbor County. We’re struggling; we have limited resources. So please, we love you, come back to see us in the summer when things are better, but now is not the time,” she said.

Inslee invited four “local leaders” to share their insights on how the pandemic was impacting their communities and ways they are dealing with it. Joining him and Dingler via video connections were Victoria Compton, executive director of the San Juan Economic Development Council, Patricia Byers, mayor of Yakima and Jeff Lambert, executive director of Dishman Hills Conservancy in Spokane.

Dingler told The Daily World that she has been in frequent communication with Inslee’s office over the past few weeks, and Thursday was invited to be part of the video event.

Participating through her laptop computer in her living room, she noted that the city has already begun layoffs and hours cutbacks impacting about half of the municipal work force, because “our income has come down tremendously.” She added, “Our budget concerns are big. We’re not eligible for Municipality Liquidity Facility funds,” which she described as a federal program that “takes care of the big boys but not us little folks out here in the hinterland. We’re hoping there will be another federal program come by and help us out.”

She also explained that she ordered the closure of commercial lodging in Ocean Shores, and the city and county both closed all beach approaches, in efforts to discourage tourism.

Unfortunately, she said, “the impact, the burden on small businesses is really a tough one.” She also noted that some businesses, such as the golf course and the home construction industry (which was booming in Ocean Shores until the shutdown was ordered last month), involve folks who believe their situations do not create crowds or risks of spreading the virus.

“I want to compliment the local leaders,” Inslee said after all four had spoken. “I was thinking of Mayor Dingler,” and how Ocean Shores’ “economic lifeblood is tourism. To make the decision that she has made to try to save people’s lives at the cost of her community’s economy, that really is a tough, tough call. It just takes leadership….”

The three-term mayor praised the efforts of local and area first responders and emergency management professionals, and noted that many people throughout the community are finding ways to help.

“Our people are amazing,” Dingler said with a smile. “They are volunteering in droves and doing all sorts of things to help their neighbors and help their friends to make sure everybody is taken care of.” She noted that the city is operating a program that has provided free meals to over 200 residents on weekdays, with distribution being handled by volunteers from the Ocean Shores Community Emergency Response Team (CERT).

“The power of community is just amazing,” she said, but “on the other hand, (there has been) some judgmental behavior, and that’s hurting us in a variety of ways. It’s so discouraging to people; we don’t know why someone might be out or when they might have to go to the store. We have to make sure we are considerate of them as well as ourselves.”

Dingler concluded her remarks by again urging non-residents: “Stay home; stay healthy; we love you but please don’t come visit us right now.”