Commission Votes For Shelter-In-Place Order

Four days before Gov. Mike Parson placed Missouri under a stay-at-home order, the Crawford County Commission voted for a similar measure, which went into effect April 1.

Parson’s order began Monday, April 6 at 12:01 a.m. and is in effect until Friday, April 24 at 11:59 p.m.

Crawford County’s order will run through April 30.

It places restrictions on citizens accessing non-essential services.

Presiding Commissioner Leo Sanders explained that he and fellow commissioners Rob Cummings and Jared Boast had to act following the confirmation of a COVID-19 case in Crawford County.

“We were in touch with the state and the county health department on numerous calls,” Sanders said on Friday, hours before Parson enforced a lockdown. “I told Honor (Evans, the county’s health department administrator) that as soon as the first case was confirmed, we needed to do this.”

Sanders said Evans wanted to do it before.

“When that first case hit, we put a plan together,” he said. “This is for the health and welfare of Crawford County residents. We want them to be as safe as possible.”

The commission met with Evans and Emergency Management Director Lesa Mizell for two grueling meetings last week as they worked on establishing the plan. Commissioners met with mayors and representatives from Bourbon, Cuba and Steelville.

Reaction to the order has mostly been supportive.

“We have had a lot of good, positive comments overall,” Sanders said. “We tried to get as much input from other cities as possible and we wanted to hear from difference agencies.

Sanders said he originally wanted a 15-day order, but acting upon the advice of health officials, decided to extend it to 30 days.

The commission has the option of reducing or lengthening the order based on circumstances.

Residents are not confined to their homes.

They can leave to engage in essential activities, including exercising, working at an essential business, obtaining supplies or seeking medical care.

“We’re not saying you can’t go to the store, but we are saying you can’t get your hair cut or go to the gym,” Sanders said.

Non-essential businesses are allowed to continue operations that can be conducted from employees’ homes or places of rest or to maintain the value of the business. Businesses do not need certification or identification to qualify as essential.

Non-compliance is a Class A misdemeanor punishable by a fine up to $2,000 and/or incarceration for a term of up to one year in the county jail.

For a complete list of what this order does, visit the Crawford County Health Department Facebook or contact them at 573-775-2555.