HERMANN — All Gasconade County government offices will follow the lead of the Circuit Court and require all people entering the courthouse to wear masks and have their temperature checked — a level of safety not seen thus far in this county.

The move was made Thursday morning by the County Commission as the 20th Circuit Court prepared to resume business Monday morning. However, because of the lack of materials needed to meet the safety guidelines set down last week by Circuit Court Presiding Judge I.I “Ike” Lamke, the county’s two courtrooms were expected to remain dark until the necessary materials were in hand for screening the people coming to the courts.

And there’s also the matter of hiring a full-time law enforcement officer to conduct the screenings at the front door.

That also means the courthouse, which has been under lockdown in recent weeks, was not expected to reopen as usual on Monday, the announced day when visitors to the building no longer would be met with locked doors and a series of questions about travel history as a way to curb the spread of the coronavirus.

“My recommendation is that we do the same thing” for the county government administrative offices that will be done for the circuit courts, said Presiding Commissioner Larry Miskel, R-Hermann.

Until this week, people coming into the Courthouse have not been required to wear a mask. That changed on Monday, when the judge’s safety protocols took effect.

“We’re going to have to provide them with a mask,” said Prosecuting Attorney Mary Weston. She, along with Circuit Clerk and Recorder of Deeds Pam Gruenke and County Collector Shawn Schlottach attended the Commission’s weekly session to discuss the planned reopening of the Circuit Court and Associate Circuit Court.

Gruenke said Lamke’s protocols will follow the course set by the state’s high court. “Judge Lamke is going to go by the Supreme Court order,” she said, noting that COVID-19 notices are to be affixed to the courthouse doors, among other steps to be taken.

One of those measures is taking the temperature of everyone coming in to the courthouse. “We’ll have to have a bailiff standing at the door,” Weston said.

That will not be good news to Sheriff Mark A. Williams, whose department is down by three deputies now. County officials acknowledged that he would be hard pressed to pull a deputy off road patrol to be stationed full time at the front door of the courthouse.

County Clerk Lesa Lietzow noted that the full-time reference means just that.

“We’re talking about being at the door even when there isn’t court” in session, Lietzow said.

Lamke gave notice of Monday’s planned court reopening in an email to judges and 20th Circuit Court personnel last Wednesday.  He said that beginning Monday, the flex work schedule of the circuit would end and the normal work schedule resume with all clerks coming to the courthouse.

“I will be forwarding the safety protocol, which will require all persons entering the courthouse for a court proceeding to wear a face mask,” the presiding judge said. “The judge overseeing a proceeding will make a determination whether or not a person can remove the face mask in the courtroom.

“Regardless, the occupancy limitation of 10 persons and social distancing  of 6 feet shall be adhered to throughout the courtrooms, clerk’s office and lobby,” Lamke said.

Social distancing will apply to court staffers as well as non-court people attending the session.

“The clerks shall also maintain social distancing of 6 feet and wear a face mask except, in their discretion, while sitting at their desks,” Lamke said.

The lobby area outside the second-floor courtroom often is crowded with people waiting for their cases to be called. Maintaining the social-distancing protocol outside the courtroom — indeed, throughout the entire courthouse — likely will require another bailiff. That makes at least three law enforcement personnel in the courthouse during court days — one at the front door, one in the courtroom and one outside the courtroom.

The crowd-size protocol — 10 people in the courtroom at a time — could make for an especially long day. Weston estimated as many as six court-related people are in the courtroom at the same time, which means there could be only four other people in the room at the same time. Court dockets often contain a listing of several dozen cases to be taken up during a session.

Southern District Associate Commissioner Jerry Lairmore, R-Owensville, said the county didn’t have much choice in delaying the reopening of the two courtrooms.

“By my observation, we can’t open up Monday,” he said, referring to the three items needed — masks, thermometers and a bailiff to administer the screenings.

Weston said court personnel are doing their best to enable the reopening of the courts. “We’re trying to figure out how to make this work,” she told the Commission.

“Bottom line,” said Miskel, “is we’re not opening the door Monday morning.”