Riley County commissioners approved Local Health Order No. 21 to extend the county’s mask mandate.
The order only extends the mandate and will be in place until May 16, in line with the City of Manhattan’s mask ordinance. It will take effect midnight April 1.
The commission had to give Local Health Officer Julie Gibbs permission for the new health order since it involves a mask mandate. County Counselor Clancy Holeman says this is due to Senate Bill 40, signed into law by Gov. Laura Kelly this week, which rewrites Kansas laws for managing the coronavirus pandemic and future emergencies.
“It requires local health officers to issue a mask ordinance only if it’s approved by the Board of County Commissioners, and the board has to approve it if it involves mandating masks, limiting the size of gatherings, curtailing the operation of business, controlling or limiting the population of Riley County and eliminating religious gatherings,” he said.
According to Holeman, the order was presented as a precaution to make record that Order 21 complies with the Senate bill’s restrictions. By established statutory interpretation rules, SB 40 should only apply to local health orders issued after SB 40’s effective date, which is whatever date it is published in the Kansas Register, the state’s official publication point for any state statute submitted to it. The Kansas Register is published weekly.
Commission Chair John Ford says after this order expires, he won’t be supporting any further extensions of the mask mandates unless there are drastic circumstances warranting them to be in place.
“I feel good about where we’re at. I feel good about where we’re trending, where we’re heading. So for me, as far as I’m concerned this is it. We get to May 16 and I’m done with it. Unless we take some catastrophic tail backwards, that would change the discussion, but outside of that I’m done,” he said.
Gibbs says all individuals present within the city limits of Manhattan must comply with any City of Manhattan ordinance in effect and remain subject to its penalties for noncompliance. She further stated that the county continues to trend in the right direction.
“Actions taken so far have demonstrated significant success in flattening the epidemic curve to prevent overwhelming our local health care system’s ability to care for the number of residents who might develop severe symptoms,” Gibbs said.
Some individuals are exempt from wearing a mask to include those 5 and under, those with medical conditions and those who are deaf.
“I still strongly recommend you maintain social distancing and use proper hand hygiene, such as washing your hands with soap and water, or using hand sanitizer containing at least 60% alcohol,” Gibbs said.
Commissioner Kathryn Focke favored the extension, expressing caution and a need to impose restrictions going forward should trends shift.
Commissioner Greg McKinley also voted in favor, though said he was unsure if a county order was still necessary since Manhattan extended its ordinance.
Gibbs estimated Thursday that around 23,000 Riley County residents have gotten at least their first dose of the coronavirus vaccine.
