Franklin County Prepared To Lift Some Restrictions, Dependent On State Order

Franklin County is prepared to lift some restrictions on bars, restaurants, hair salons and other places of public accommodation on April 25, dependent on Missouri’s “Stay At Home” order not being renewed.

Gov. Mike Parson’s order is in effect through April 24.

Presiding Commissioner Tim Brinker delivered that message in a video Tuesday night.

“We are prepared to allow for an adjusted opening of bars and restaurants,” Brinker said, adding that expiration of the state order and containment is the “latchkey” for lifting restrictions.

Currently, bars and restaurants are limited to offering carry out, pick up or delivery, but Brinker said they could reopen for dine-in service based on internal capacity limitations and spacing requirements.

“There will be more details to come,” Brinker said.

Hair salons, nail salons, barber ships, gyms, massage parlors, bowling alleys, skating rinks, tanning facilities and the like also can reopen on April 25 with the same capacity and distance restrictions.

Brinker said golf courses also could reopen and go back to their normal functions with the clubhouses kept at “safe levels.”

The limit of public gatherings will rise from 10 to 50, provided safe spacing is maintained.

Franklin County currently has 87 cases of COVID-19 with four deaths and 17 recoveries. Brinker said 55 of the cases are from controlled environments.

“The key is to keep our health care systems’ capacity at a serviceable level,” Brinker said. “The best way we can do that is to keep doing what we are doing by maintaining that social distance.”

Brinker announced the county will extend its declaration of emergency to May 15 to match Missouri and keep the county eligible for necessary funding.

County employees will return to work on April 20 and county government buildings will reopen May 1.