O’Brien County, Iowa — The O’Brien County Supervisors have approved a plan for reopening the O’Brien County Courthouse after it was shut down a few weeks ago in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The plan, which was prepared by County EMA Coordinator Jared Johnson, calls for a three-phase reopening of the courthouse, which is tentatively scheduled to begin June 10th.
In Phase #1, county employees who have been working from home will return back to their offices. Visitors to the courthouse will need to make an appointment in advance, and will be encouraged to wear a mask inside the courthouse. The building’s east entrance will be used for entry by the general public, while the west entrance will be an employee-only entrance.
In Phase #2 of the plan, many of the Phase #1 items will still be in place. Changes will include Department Heads identifying the number of visitors allowed in their office at a time, and social distancing will be maintained whenever possible. Departments may use floor markings to indicate where visitors should be located.
In Phase #3, the courthouse will return to “normal”, regular operations. However, some department heads may continue some mitigation strategies to help prevent the spread of germs.
There in no projected date for the commencement of Phases #2 and #3 listed in the plan. Officials stress that the projected date for beginning Phase #1 is tentative, and could change should conditions change surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic.
To view the complete O’Brien County Courthouse Reopening Plan, CLICK HERE.
