Despite Gov. Laura Kelly not moving onto to phase two of the reopening plan, Riley County offices will open to the public on Monday.
Health Department Director Julie Gibbs says county offices are allowed to reopen Monday, with limited services. She told Riley County Commissioners Thursday she’s been pleased that positive cases for the most part have remained steady.
“With the first phase of reopening, we knew that we would start to see a spike in our numbers as early as yesterday. As long we can stay steady onto Monday, then we hope we have reopened at a good place,” says Gibbs.
The county will follow the governor’s plan more closely, and won’t be issuing any orders that are more restrictive than hers. Each county building will determine how to monitor public access using one or more of the following methods
- All inside office doors open- with a lobby contact
- All inside office doors closed
- All inside office doors closed, appointment only
- Some inside office doors closed, appointment only
The main lobby for the county offices will be maintained by staff. Members of the public will enter in through one door, be directed where to go and stand, and the leave through another door. The courthouse will have people go up one set of staircases and come down another, they will be screening people, and have masks available.
The treasurer’s office will tentatively reopen from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. They have placed several protocols to protect themselves and their staff. First protocol includes only 12 customers will be allowed in the office at a time. Customers will enter their phone number into the QLess system and then wait in their car for their number to be called.
The office will be limiting the types of transactions to title work. A drop box is available for the renewals, handicap placards, and plate refund transactions. Treasurer Shilo Heger is asking the public to do as many processes by mail and online as they can.
VIN inspections will be available Tuesday and Thursday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. until the end of May, after which will go back to Tuesday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Driver’s license services will not be available until a later date.
For community corrections, an employee will be stationed in the main lobby from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday to screen their clients. They will take temperatures, ask a series of screening questions, provide a mask, and give a squirt of hand sanitizer. Clients will have to use the elevator to access the second floor. Appointments will be staggered every half hour.
Non-RCC clients will be asked if they have an appointment and directed to that office. If they do not have an appointment, then staff will call that department for further direction.
The health department will have patients call ahead of time for an appointment and will have their temperature taken at their car before entering. They will have signs in the parking lot designating where people can park. Patrons will be required to wear a mask.
