Reynolds County officials: New order not meant to ‘trash’ civil liberties

CENTERVILLE — Reynolds County officials were not looking to “trash anybody’s civil liberties” with the recently enacted stay-at-home order and limited entry for non-residents.

The order and limitations were put in place in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and are in effect until May 11.

Reynolds County’s order, like the “Stay at home Missouri” order issued by Gov. Mike Parson, asks residents to stay at home unless they are purchasing food, medicine or seeking medical treatment, and when out to adhere to the social distancing requirements. The state order is in effect through April 24.

Reynolds County also seeks to limit the number of visitors during the stay-at-home order by ordering non-residents to not enter, travel through or stay in the county.

Non-residents only may travel or stay in the county for essential activities, government functions or to operate essential businesses and operations and must leave once those tasks are done.

“We’re not trying to trash anybody’s civil liberties,” said Francie Vermillion, Reynolds County Health Center administrator. “We totally believe in the rights of our citizens, but what we’re mandated to do is to protect those that we’re responsible for, and that’s what we chose to do.”

The governor, Vermillion said, has been leaving decisions up the county officials regarding COVID-19, and “taking his lead, that’s what we did” by enacting the order.

County officials, Vermillion explained, had talked to “some of our county partners and thought we had a lot of similarities, so we felt like (the order) would be within the best interest of the county,” which is home to the Mark Twain National Forest, Clearwater Lake, Black River and Johnson Shuts-In State Park.

“This was not a decision made by the commissioners and myself,” Vermillion said. “… We’re doing the best thing as a team.”

Involved in the decision-making process with the commissioners and Vermillion were personnel representing the sheriff’s department, dispatch, coroner’s office, county clerk, fire department(s), Reynolds County Ambulance District and the city mayors and clerks. The county’s emergency management agency director also was available, she said.

The decision was made together, and the order was reviewed and approved by the county’s prosecuting attorney, Vermillion said.

“We really depend on each other to try to make decisions; we have to support one another, and we have been unified” in this decision, Vermillion said.

Factoring into the decision, Vermillion said, was “where we live. All we have is tourists, lumber and mining industry, so with that being said, we have been noticing out-of-state cars coming into our community.

“What they are doing; they are preparing for turkey season.”

Vermillion also cited an incident, which occurred a couple of weeks ago at Elephant Rocks State Park, located “right on the line” from Reynolds County in Iron County.

“There was boo koos of people,” Vermillion said. “I don’t know how many people were there,” but the numbers “caused that to shut down,” like many state parks.

With what happened at Elephant Rocks and all the people coming into the northern end of the county with out-of-state plates (youth turkey season was last weekend), “we just felt that it would behoove us to implement this to at least make an attempt” to keep citizens at home and deter non-residents.

The county commissioners, Vermillion said, chose to go this route as a prevention effort.

“Me, as public health, my priority is prevention, promote wellness and protect the public,” Vermillion said.

Possible violations, Vermillion expects, will be found based on observations of the different license plates coming in and out of the county.

If someone is found to be non-compliant, “then we can go to them and try to convince them otherwise, but there are legal fines or it could even be a court order, if necessary,” Vermillion explained. “I pray that is never the case.”

Vermillion said essential businesses, such as gas stations, trash collectors, banks, plumbers and hardware stores, are allowed to remain open, as are churches, but they have to “remember those six feet and 10 people rules.”

No dining in is allowed at restaurants or bars; however, carry out, pickup and delivery is permitted. Social distancing requirements also have to be met.

Hotel and hotels and private campgrounds also are considered essential, but “I’ve encouraged them to have no more than 50% capacity,” Vermillion said.

Reynolds County, she said, has a number of non-resident

Reynolds County, she said, has a number of non-resident business owners, particularly in the tourist industry (campgrounds).

“They’ve been very compliant; they’re very respectful and appreciative,” Vermillion said. “Many of them aren’t opening until this is all over for now.”

Vermillion said she has been getting a lot of “thank yous” since the order went into effect on Tuesday.

People, she said, are really trying to do the right thing.

“They’re really trying to make an effort, and they’re really appreciative of this order that we implemented because of all the people that come from everywhere to recreate in our area,” she said.

Vermillion said county officials “want them to come down, but, hey, let’s just wait a little bit.”

That loss of tourism, she said, will probably hurt the county’s economy severely, but it will depend on “when it gets better.”