SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO.com) — Mayor Paul Tenhaken is either withdrawing or will ask Councilors to defeat his stay at home order which is to have a second and final reading Tuesday.
There was considerable opposition to the measure at Wednesday’s special council meeting from the public and additional opposition to it at today’s meeting, which lasted nearly four hours.
TenHaken said he’s asking the council for ideas in place of a stay at home order.
City Councilor Pat Starr, who supports more stringent measures in an ordinance, says the window is closing on what Sioux Falls can do to avoid a spike in coronavirus cases that could outstrip the hospitals’ ability to handle it.
He says he the citizens don’t appear to want tougher measures put in place.
“We’ll look back and we’ll be disappointed in what we did,” Starr said.
TenHaken said it is important since the city’s hospitals could exceed their capacity to handle coronavirus–and other cases–by mid-May.
He says he’d like to see mandatory temperature taking at large businesses. Another possibility, he said, is to give the CDC’s COVID-19 health recommendations the force of ordinance.
TenHaken and Starr wore masks during the meeting. Councilors Christine Erickson, Marshall Selberg, Greg Neitzer, and Theresa Stehly did not wear masks. Councilors Rick Kiley, Janet Brekke, and Kurt Soehl were at home and connected electronically.
Healthcare experts said they would like to see the social distancing rate increase from 25% to 35% to help continue the flattening of the infection and hospitalization curves.
Councilors tossed around ideas whether more public information is needed or if an ordinance should have teeth to it.
Before the discussion, Councilors saw presentations on the data and modeling the City is relying on to make decisions and recommendations.
