KANSAS CITY, Mo. — After a task force spent hours debating the minutiae of what reopening in Johnson County should look like, the Johnson County Board of Commissioners opted instead to adopt Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly’s reopening plan — with one change.
The county’s extended stay-at-home order, which last one week longer that the statewide order set to expire this weekend, remains in effect through May 10.
Beginning May 11, each reopening phase for Johnson County will follow the governor's plan.
"Rather than have two plans out there, which would be confusing to the public, we decided to table to task force plan indefinitely and move ahead with the governor’s plan," Chairman Ed Eilert told 41 Action News.
The lone difference is that only businesses which have been deemed essential under current stay-at-home orders can be open next week in Johnson County. That won't change until after the county stay-at-home expires at 11:59 p.m. on May 10.
Restaurants and retail businesses will be allowed to reopen on May 11 as long as they maintain six feet of distance between customers and follow cleaning and public health practices issued by state and county health officials based on Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendations.
The biggest change from the county’s proposed plan, which the task force had worked to craft. is that the first phase will no longer include the opening of personal-service businesses.
Hair salons, barber shops, nail salons, massage therapy businesses, tattoo shops, gyms, bars, outdoor playgrounds and athletic courts will reopen during the second phase, which will not begin until Kelly signs an executive order on May 18 or later.
Johnson County commissioners voted Friday to table further discussion of the task force’s recommendations.
The commission also voted down a proposal by Commissioner Mike Brown to rescind the May 10 stay-at-home order issued by the Johnson County Department of Health and Environment.
