Emergency declaration puts teeth in Jefferson City stay-at-home order
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)
Jefferson City officials say an emergency declaration signed Friday by Mayor Carrie Tergin expands the options for charging violators of a stay-at-home order.
City officials released the proclamation Monday.
Cole County health authorities signed the stay-at-home order on Friday and it went into effect at 5 p.m. Saturday. The order, meant to slow down the spread of COVID-19, is in place until 5 p.m. April 11. The order requires all county residents to stay at home except for conducting essential business.
The emergency declaration allows the city to prosecute violations of the order in its municipal court system, city counselor Ryan Moehlman said. The declaration spells out that businesses violating the order could have their city licenses yanked.
Jefferson City Police Department Lt. David Williams said at a news conference Friday that police did not plan to go on patrol looking for violators.
Cole County reported 24 cases of COVID-19 on Monday morning, with two patients having recovered from the illness. No deaths have been reported in Cole County.
State health officials have confirmed more than 900 cases of COVID-19, including 12 deaths. The latest reported death from COVID-19 was a Democratic Party leader from western Missouri.
