Commissioners Waiting On Gov.’s Announcement To Take Next Step On County Closure
April 28, 2020 at 11:51 p.m.
By David [email protected]
During their meeting Tuesday morning, the Kosciusko County commissioners discussed what the county will do in the event of those possibilities.
Commissioner Brad Jackson, president of the board this year, said if Holcomb keeps his executive order in place and the state remains closed, so will the county.
“If he extends it forward, we will carry on as we are. Then if he, hopefully, lifts it, we can end it,” he said.
Jackson said if the order is lifted, then all county employees would come fully back, but county offices would remain closed to the public for the first week. The offices would open to the public the second week after the order is lifted.
He said the only question he had was if Holcomb only opened a “partial” of the stuff closed and how partial that would be. That could create a “gray area” of how open the county could be.
County Auditor Michelle Puckett said other counties she’s communicated with also are waiting to hear what Holcomb says on Friday before they make any decisions. Commissioner Cary Groninger asked Puckett if she felt there was enough backlog of work for her employees to do if they came back the first week after Holcomb lifts the stay-at-home order and the offices were still closed to the public.
She said the workload for the county employees will depend office by office. As for her office, she said they would.
County Administrator Marsha McSherry reported what she knew of from various offices, including that property taxes are supposed to be due by May 10. Commissioner Bob Conley said he talked to County Treasurer Rhonda Helser and she told him tax collections are going very well, with many people paying theirs online.
Puckett said that while the property taxes are still due May 10, the state provided for a 60-day extension of paying those (to July 10) with no penalty.
Jackson said if the governor doesn’t continue his order Friday, county employees would report to work Monday with the offices still closed to the public. If Holcomb extends it, the county’s closure would continue. Jackson guessed that the governor would partially open the state.
During their meeting Tuesday morning, the Kosciusko County commissioners discussed what the county will do in the event of those possibilities.
Commissioner Brad Jackson, president of the board this year, said if Holcomb keeps his executive order in place and the state remains closed, so will the county.
“If he extends it forward, we will carry on as we are. Then if he, hopefully, lifts it, we can end it,” he said.
Jackson said if the order is lifted, then all county employees would come fully back, but county offices would remain closed to the public for the first week. The offices would open to the public the second week after the order is lifted.
He said the only question he had was if Holcomb only opened a “partial” of the stuff closed and how partial that would be. That could create a “gray area” of how open the county could be.
County Auditor Michelle Puckett said other counties she’s communicated with also are waiting to hear what Holcomb says on Friday before they make any decisions. Commissioner Cary Groninger asked Puckett if she felt there was enough backlog of work for her employees to do if they came back the first week after Holcomb lifts the stay-at-home order and the offices were still closed to the public.
She said the workload for the county employees will depend office by office. As for her office, she said they would.
County Administrator Marsha McSherry reported what she knew of from various offices, including that property taxes are supposed to be due by May 10. Commissioner Bob Conley said he talked to County Treasurer Rhonda Helser and she told him tax collections are going very well, with many people paying theirs online.
Puckett said that while the property taxes are still due May 10, the state provided for a 60-day extension of paying those (to July 10) with no penalty.
Jackson said if the governor doesn’t continue his order Friday, county employees would report to work Monday with the offices still closed to the public. If Holcomb extends it, the county’s closure would continue. Jackson guessed that the governor would partially open the state.
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