County reopens facilities; Holyoke parks, City office remain closed

Colorado transitioned from Stay at Home, which began March 26, to Safer at Home on April 27. It comes with fewer changes than one may have thought, though, especially in places like Holyoke where the majority of businesses are considered essential.

On April 27, nonessential retail was allowed to start curbside pickup and delivery services. Real estate was allowed to resume showings, but open houses are still prohibited.

On Friday, May 1, those nonessential retail businesses will be allowed to open at 50% capacity while also adhering to a lengthy list of additional requirements. Businesses that offer personal services, such as salons, will also be allowed to reopen with restrictions.

On May 4, nonessential office-based businesses can reopen at 50% capacity with strict precautions. Working from home is still strongly encouraged whenever possible.

For different industries, there are different guidelines for how and when to reopen. Given that the public health order is 34 pages long, industry-specific best practices can be found at everyone should still stay at home as much as possible. When going out, wear a mask or face covering. Everyone should continue to wash their hands often and stay at least 6 feet away from other people.

Spending time outdoors for exercise is encouraged as long as distancing and group limits are observed. Outdoor recreation must also be within one’s own community and/or no further than 10 miles from one’s residence.

At this point in Colorado, there’s a great deal of personal responsibility necessary for returning to normalcy. If, under the relaxed Safer at Home guidelines, numbers begin to climb, residents can expect to see stricter regulations again.

Phillips County reopens offices

The Phillips County Board of County Commissioners reopened County offices and facilities to the public April 27 under the Safer at Home guidelines. In courthouse offices, people must stay at least 6 feet away from others. They must also wear masks when in the building.

The County also asks that anyone who is going to enter the courthouse call the specific office they’re going to visit — administration, treasurer, assessor, clerk, communications center — to learn any additional restrictions. At the clerk’s office, for example, driving tests are allowed if the driver wears a mask and the interior of the car is sanitized in view of the tester.

The event center, pavilion and Homesteaders Park are also open with restrictions. Groups are limited to 10 people, and kitchens remain closed. Masks and 6-foot social distancing are recommended. Public restrooms will not be open except for at event center events. The park, playground and walking path are only open 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

Commissioners emphasize that people should still stay home if they are sick or part of a vulnerable population.

City of Holyoke keeps parks closed

While some facilities are reopening, the City of Holyoke office remains closed to the public. Business can still be conducted over the phone or via the drop box.

For the time being, City parks — including the ball park and skate park — remain closed as well.

State allows for different requirements by county

Gov. Jared Polis has repeatedly acknowledged that continued precautions aren’t one-size-fits-all in the diverse state of Colorado. Some counties may need stronger or more relaxed guidelines.

For local governments to relax their coronavirus guidelines, there must be:

— A low number of new cases per day; and/or

— Cases declining for the past 14 days; and

— An early warning system to swiftly detect and address an increase in community spread to prevent a breach of local health care system capacity.

The local government also needs approval from the local public health agency, local hospitals, and county commissioners or other county-level governing body.

Phillips County has been part of conversations with the Northeast Colorado Health Department about the need for unique guidelines for different counties in the region.

Commissioner Terry Hofmeister said that, at this point, Phillips County is not pursuing a waiver to reopen businesses any sooner than the state is allowing. But that could change, he emphasized, depending on the community’s needs.