City offices stay closed next week

Though a statewide stay-at-home order will no longer be in effect, local governments still have the final say on when to fully reopen.

Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb detailed Friday that mayors and county governing bodies may choose to extend stay-at-home orders designed to combat the spread of COVID-19, as Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett did, or impose stricter guidelines than what the state is suggesting.

“… we won’t interfere with local jurisdiction if they want to take it further or stricter than us,” Holcomb said at his daily briefing Friday.

Portland Mayor John Boggs announced plans to conduct city council meetings in person starting Monday and open city hall to the public a week later.

However, he is undecided on if the city will choose to extend a stay-at-home order.

“My tendency is to stay a little longer. … I don’t think we’ve hit the worst of it yet,” Boggs said.

In a phone call less than an hour after Holcomb’s announcement Friday, Boggs said he first wanted to consult with Jay County Commissioners and the local health department before committing to anything.

Dunkirk Mayor Jack Robbins said he also expects the worst is yet to come for Jay County.

“I’m not sure we’ve reached our peak yet so a slow approach is the best one,” said Robbins, who added that he supports Holcomb’s approach to slowly reopen the state in stages.

He added that he has no plans to implement a local stay-at-home order separate from the state.

Dunkirk City Hall will be closed to the public for at least another week, Robbins said. Future city council and board of works meetings will likely be conducted in person, he added.

Boggs is still committed to conducting city council and other meetings in person starting Monday, though those meetings will not be open to the public. Essential personal and the media will only be allowed in the city council chambers, which has been redesigned to make social distancing easier, Boggs said.

Beginning May 11, Portland city employees will begin returning to work on a full-time schedule if they are healthy. A week later, city hall will open to the public, though social distancing guidelines will be enforced, Boggs said.

So far, Boggs said he believes the stay-at-home order has been effective and that Portland residents have done a good job flattening the curve of the spread of COVID-19.

With the weather getting warmer, he said he is concerned that more residents will leave their homes and possibly contract or transmit the virus.