The chairman of the Douglas County Board of Commissioners ended the board’s last in-person meeting with gallows humor.

“Good luck with the plague,” Commissioner Clare Duda wished his fellow board members in the nearly deserted legislative chambers of the Omaha-Douglas Civic Center on Tuesday afternoon, which The Daily Record observed remotely via a livestream.

The Douglas County Board and Omaha City Council won’t meet again in person for at least a month, after both public entities canceled their next two meetings and adopted emergency measures.

The Civic Center’s legislative chambers are slated to undergo renovation for its dated audiovisual system, and the public bodies are likely to consider telephonic or videoconference meetings after Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts issued an emergency order allowing remote meetings for state and local business, provided public notice, agendas and opportunities to participate are still maintained.

Members of the Douglas County Board approved an emergency declaration, which provides additional flexibility for requesting funding and approving contracts.

The declaration also provides Douglas County school districts and educational service units with the same flexibility.

The Omaha City Council approved two emergency measures requested by Mayor Jean Stothert on Tuesday, approving financial relief to city employees whose jobs are disrupted by the pandemic and allowing Stothert to declare an extended state of emergency.

An emergency declaration for COVID-19 would last for eight weeks. The financial relief ordinance would be in effect until July 1, unless the state of emergency declared by Gov. Ricketts or a similar declaration that could be made by county health officials expires before that time.

The Douglas County Board has canceled its March 24 and March 31 meetings. The Omaha City Council has canceled its March 31 and April 7 meetings, and it was already planning to not hold meetings March 24 or April 14.

The council is waiving its rule requiring liquor license applicants to appear for the hearing on their applications until further notice.

The council said its next Board of Equalization meeting won’t be held until May 5.