County officials plan to open facilities Monday

WORLAND- The Washakie County commissioners met on Friday afternoon, May 1, with department heads via teleconference and at the Washakie County Fairgrounds to discuss reducing the Level 3 health status that is in place currently on county facilities.

The county commissioners, along with a consensus from departments heads, voted to reduce the county down to a modified Level 2 status, opening all county facilities on the morning of Monday, May 4. This will open all county facilities to the public with restrictions, except for the Ten Sleep Library and Washakie County Library.

The restrictions in place will not allow for more than 10 people to gather at county facilities, and six feet distances will need to be maintained. Masks and gloves will not be required to be worn by the public when entering the facility, but may be requested by staff to customers to wear under certain scenarios such as searching files in the county clerk's vault.

According to Washakie County Library System Director Karen Funk, the Washakie County Library Board plans to meet on Monday to discuss cleaning and customer tracing protocols that need to be added before allowing customers in to the library. The libraries then plan to open on Tuesday, May 5 by appointment through Friday May 15, in coordination with the current state orders that are in place. The libraries will still offer curbside service and book reservations during this period, but is planning to open in a limited capacity by appointment starting Tuesday.

The Washakie County Sheriff's Office plans to allow fingerprinting services beginning tomorrow, May 2 for those who need it; however, certain protocols will be in place requiring those entering the facility to wear protective equipment such as gloves and a mask.

The county is planning to maintain cleaning procedures to ensure that public facilities will not become infected, and sneeze guards have been installed in county offices to separate workers and customers.

RESTAURANTS

Commission Chair Fred Frandson announced that he and the commissioners had submitted a proposal for an exemption for county-wide restaurants and bars, which was submitted to Washakie County Health Officer Dr. Ed Zimmerman, reviewed but not signed, and passed along to State Health Officer Dr. Alexia Harrist to review.

According to Frandson, he has been told that if the state reviews and accepts the exemption, then Zimmerman will sign it as well.

The exemption submitted would allow restaurants and bars to open in a limited capacity for sit-in dining, seeking to open restaurants in at least a minimal capacity. Restaurants and bars in the state have been reduced to only take-out or delivery for the last month-and-a-half. See the current order here ... https://www.wyodaily.com/home/customer_files/legals/third_continuation_order1.pdf

If the exemption is denied at the state level, restaurants will be required to only do take-out services, with five people being allowed in the restaurant to pick up food, through at least May 15 according to the current state orders that went in to effect today.

The commissioners provided clarification regarding camping in the Bighorn National Forest, and said that dispersed camping is still allowed in the forest. Developed campsites in the forest are still closed through May 31 with fire bans in place at those campsites, but there are currently no fire bans in place for dispersed camping at this time.

More regarding this meeting and the commissioners meeting on Tuesday will be in next weeks edition of the Northern Wyoming News.