Virus flareup pushes county back to Phase 1 safety protocols for courthouse operations

By Buck Collier, Special Correspondent
Posted 11/4/20

HERMANN — Everyone arriving at the Gasconade County Courthouse again are subject to temperature checks and questions by a sheriff’s deputy at the main entrance as a local positive …

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Virus flareup pushes county back to Phase 1 safety protocols for courthouse operations

Posted

HERMANN — Everyone arriving at the Gasconade County Courthouse again are subject to temperature checks and questions by a sheriff’s deputy at the main entrance as a local positive coronavirus test has pushed the courts and all county offices back to Phase I protocols.

The move was announced for court personnel recently by 20th Circuit Court Presiding Judge I.I. “Ike” Lamke and applied to employees throughout the courthouse by the County Commission.

“We have a person who was diagnosed with COVID,” said Presiding Commissioner Larry Miskel, R-Hermann, at Thursday’s Commission session.

It’s unclear how long the courthouse will remain in Phase I.

“‘Til further notice,” Miskel said, reminding the public that whatever practice Lamke decides for court personnel is adopted for the other employees in the courthouse.

A recent session of Division 4 Associate Court was canceled and reset for Nov. 18 because of a positive test of a court participant. That person has not been identified.

Phase I protocols, which includes temperature checks and questions about health conditions and travel earlier were in place for about two weeks on both court days and non-court days. After that, people coming to the courthouse on non-court days were not checked for fever or asked about other symptoms of the coronavirus.

Also on the coronavirus front, the Commission approved two allocations from the county’s CARES Act fund. The first, for slightly more than $14,000, was for the Gasconade County Health Department. The agency earlier was approved for a reimbursement of $8,000.

The second application was for the Hermann Area Ambulance District in the amount of $44,913. Of this amount, about $34,000 worth already has been spent while about $10,000 was pre-approved for allocation.

The Meramec Regional Planning Commission, which is administering the county’s CARES Act money, recommended approval of the two applications.

The Commission will be meeting next Thursday, Nov. 12, with all county government elected officials and the incoming coroner and public administrator for a budget meeting as work begins on crafting the 2021 operating plan for the various departments.

Commissioners return to session at 8 a.m. Thursday at Owensville City Hall.