With Gov. Eric Holcomb considering reopening some sectors of the economy, the Johnson County Board of Commissioners are also preparing to reopen county offices to the public.
At a nearly two-hour meeting Wednesday, the commissioners heard input from each county department head about preparations they are making so that their offices are safe to reopen.
The commissioners did not make a decision on re-opening Wednesday, but the county’s current closure expires at 11:59 p.m. Friday. The board alluded to an announcement they will likely make later this week, but did not provide a concrete date or method for the announcement.
Each department head sent a detailed report to the commissioners and gave a synopsis of those reports Wednesday via Zoom or in person. Each revealed precautions their offices will need to take depending on their level of interaction with the public.
Some county offices rarely have visitors, but others, such as the treasurer’s office, could potentially have more than 100 visitors daily, so the approach is not likely to be a one size fits all, commissioner Brian Baird said.
Johnson County Health Officer Craig Moorman offered several recommendations to the commissioners, including upping facility cleaning, offering masks for employees who want to wear them and encouraging social distancing with markers on the floor. Moorman does not recommend taking the temperature of employees and those who enter the buildings, because COVID-19 can be spread without an infected person having an elevated temperature.
Signs describing COVID-19 symptoms could be posted to discourage people from entering a county building if they are sick. This could be a deterrent, said Betsy Swearingen, director of the Johnson County Health Department.
Another universal precaution is installing plexiglass sneeze guards at the front counters of county offices. The sneeze guards may arrive this week if shipping is not delayed, said Jason Miller, maintenance director. Several department heads and Baird said they would not feel comfortable opening back up without the sneeze guards installed first.
With a steady supply of sanitizing wipes, hand sanitizer, masks and gloves now coming in, Emergency Management Director Stephanie Sichting said enough supplies would be available for employees to safely interact with the public.
Several department heads said they would continue to encourage people to conduct as much business at home as possible. They have also come up with solutions to minimize contact while still conducting necessary business.
The county health department is having residents call for assistance when they arrive at the office, Swearingen said. Instead of allowing residents inside, employees are offering curbside delivery of birth and death certificates, she said.
Similarly, Johnson County Planning and Zoning is accepting applications online and scheduling individual appointments for permit applicants to make in-person payments, said David Hittle, planning director.
At the treasurer’s office, online payments have had ‘phenomenal success’ with more than $2.8 million in property taxes collected online, compared to $160,000 at this time last year, said Michele Ann Graves, county treasurer.
When the treasurer’s office does reopen, social distancing will be a main line of defense for taxpayers, Graves said. Because taxpayers will be spaced six feet apart, lines may be long and business may take longer than normal, she said.
Johnson County courts will continue to follow Indiana Supreme Court orders.
A potential reopen date for court activities is May 18, but that could change, Superior Court 2 Judge Peter Nugent said. For now, only essential hearings are being conducted in person, with most taking place via virtual conference calls with inmates at the Johnson County jail, he said.
