Masks required at Hays City Hall, despite Ellis Co. decision not to enforce governor's order

Visitors to Hays City Hall and its employees within are now required to wear a face mask. Masks will be offered to those who enter without one. If the person refuses, they will not be assisted and will be asked to leave the building.

By BECKY KISER
Hays Post

Face masks are now a requirement to enter Hays City Hall, even after the Ellis County Health Dept. issued a statement late Thursday that it will not enforce Gov. Laura Kelly's executive order.

The Ellis County Commission, serving as the county board of health, held a special meeting Thursday afternoon in response to Gov. Kelly’s order requiring all Kansans wear a mask in public spaces beginning Friday. The mandate includes work spaces and any place where people can not be separated by at least six feet. The commission voted unanimously to not require Ellis County residents to wear a mask.

New signs are posted on the entrance door to Hays City Hall, 1507 Main, noting that visitors and its employees within are now required to wear a face mask.

According to Kim Rupp, Hays public information officer and finance director, masks will be offered to those who enter without one. If the person refuses, they will not be assisted and will be asked to leave the building.

Face masks for the public alongside copies of Thursday's Hays city commission work session agenda.

"If we go through all that and the person finally exits, refusing to wear a mask, in that same amount of time we likely could have their business taken care of," Rupp said.

Hand sanitizing station just inside Hays City Hall

A hand sanitizer station has been in place at the front of the entrance hallway since city hall reopened to the public May 18.

During Thursday night's city commission work session, department heads and city manager Toby Dougherty were all wearing face masks as they waited to address commissioners.

Each person removed his mask while speaking at the podium and then put it back on afterwords.

John Braun, projects director, removes his face mask to address Hays city commissioners Thursday night. John Bird, city attorney, Kim Rupp, finance director, and Jesse Rohr, public works director, wear their masks in the city hall chambers.

Many chairs in the commission chambers have been moved and are not used so remaining chairs for the public are more than six feet apart.

City commissioners are also social distancing with empty chairs in between each of them.

City commissioner  Michael Berges wears a face mask at the July 2 work session. Berges removed it when he talked. Mayor Shaun Musil was absent from the meeting. — City commissioner Michael Berges wears a face mask at the July 2 work session. Berges removed it when he talked. Mayor Shaun Musil was absent from the meeting.

Rupp said the face mask requirement for city hall will be enforced as long as the governor's executive order in effect.