It took more than half of today's briefing before Joplin Mayor Gary Shaw got down to business.
Instead of coming right out and announcing that he had signed a stay-at-home ordinance for the city, he took the time to tell a couple of allegedly humorous anecdotes and talked once more about people being on both sides of such an ordinance.
"Each position has a very valid point."
He defended the idea of not having a stay-at-home ordinance by using an article by a business leader and by quoting Benjamin Franklin.
And it didn't stop there.
He repeated much of the same admonitions about social distancing that he has mentioned in previous briefings, then brought on Joplin Health Department Director Dan Pekarek to go over them again, followed by a speaker detailing changes in the WIC program.
Pekarek helped set the stage for the announcement by noting city officials had reports of people who were violating the social distancing guidelines by having parties and large gatherings.
It still wasn't time for the declaration.
Toby Teeter, Joplin Area Chamber of Commerce president, offered information on unemployment, useful information to be sure and with a huge impact, but not like what the mayor held off on saying until nearly 20 minutes had passed in a 35-minute briefing.
Even after he returned to the microphone, Shaw wasn't quite ready to admit he pulled the trigger on the ordinance.
He felt the need to inspire the citizens of Joplin.
"We're a strong community and this will make us a better community. This COVID-19 is not going to be with us the rest of our lives. It's a situation we're dealing with in the best way we can."
Finally.
"This morning, I signed a stay-at-home ordinance that will go into effect Monday, April 6, at 12:01 a.m."
The stay-at-home ordinance is set for 14 days and then it will be reassessed, Shaw said.
But just to make sure everyone goes home a winner, Shaw added that the stay-at-home ordinance will be "a little less restrictive than some."
Instead of coming right out and announcing that he had signed a stay-at-home ordinance for the city, he took the time to tell a couple of allegedly humorous anecdotes and talked once more about people being on both sides of such an ordinance.
"Each position has a very valid point."
He defended the idea of not having a stay-at-home ordinance by using an article by a business leader and by quoting Benjamin Franklin.
And it didn't stop there.
He repeated much of the same admonitions about social distancing that he has mentioned in previous briefings, then brought on Joplin Health Department Director Dan Pekarek to go over them again, followed by a speaker detailing changes in the WIC program.
Pekarek helped set the stage for the announcement by noting city officials had reports of people who were violating the social distancing guidelines by having parties and large gatherings.
It still wasn't time for the declaration.
Toby Teeter, Joplin Area Chamber of Commerce president, offered information on unemployment, useful information to be sure and with a huge impact, but not like what the mayor held off on saying until nearly 20 minutes had passed in a 35-minute briefing.
Even after he returned to the microphone, Shaw wasn't quite ready to admit he pulled the trigger on the ordinance.
He felt the need to inspire the citizens of Joplin.
"We're a strong community and this will make us a better community. This COVID-19 is not going to be with us the rest of our lives. It's a situation we're dealing with in the best way we can."
Finally.
"This morning, I signed a stay-at-home ordinance that will go into effect Monday, April 6, at 12:01 a.m."
The stay-at-home ordinance is set for 14 days and then it will be reassessed, Shaw said.
But just to make sure everyone goes home a winner, Shaw added that the stay-at-home ordinance will be "a little less restrictive than some."
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