Upcoming board of health meeting in Shawnee County garners interest, concern from community members
TOPEKA, Kan. (KSNT) — People in Shawnee County are concerned about the next step in reopening as power shifts to county leaders.
County commissioners will be discussing the Shawnee County reopening plan at the board of health meeting on Monday. Some members of the public said they plan on attending that meeting to hear what county leaders have in mind.
It’s been over a month since Governor Laura Kelly announced her plan to reopen the state. Now, individual counties can now decide for themselves how to move forward, using the governor’s plan simply as a guide.
Monique Pittman said she’s satisfied with how the county has done things so far and hopes that doesn’t change.
“I am definitely concerned about opening too fast, too early, too soon and the consequences on our community,” said Pittman.
It’s unknown at this time what specifically will be addressed at the meeting, but Shawnee County Commissioner Aaron Mays said in a statement:
“There’s been a lot of speculation on the purpose of this meeting. It’s important to have a public conversation about our plan and response. I’m going into the meeting with an open mind and i hope everyone else does the same. Our Health Department and Emergency Management have done a fantastic job dealing with COVID-19 and I appreciate the long hours and difficult decisions they’ve made for our community.”
-Aaron Mays, Shawnee County Commissioner
Pittman said she hopes the county will stay the course and continue to follow the advice of county health officials.
“I want those decisions to be made by people who have experience and expertise and training,” Pittman said.
The meeting is open to the public and is scheduled to take place after the regularly scheduled county commission meeting at 9:00 a.m.