Johnson County supervisors send letter to Gov. Reynolds asking for shelter-in-place order

IOWA CITY - Though they don't expect to have their request granted, the Johnson County Board of Supervisors have sent a letter to Gov. Kim Reynolds, asking her to issue a shelter-in-place order in Iowa in response to COVID-19, or give counties the authority to do so.

'It's probably going to get rejected,” Supervisor Lisa Green-Douglass said during Monday's meeting.

In their letter, the supervisors note 27 states have issued shelter-in-place orders. Individual counties in Iowa do not have the authority to issue their own such orders.

As she has in the past, Supervisor Janelle Rettig has questioned what a shelter-in-place would entail. Rettig has advocated for other measures, such as asking area employers to reduce their workforce when possible.

The board stopped short Monday of discussing what a shelter-in-place order in Johnson County would look like, arguing the point was moot unless Reynolds granted their request.

'I don't want to get too caught up in the details,” board Chairman Rod Sullivan said. 'We are simply asking for something that, quite honestly, I don't expect to get.”

The board on Monday also extended the closure of county buildings until 11:59 p.m., April 16. The Johnson County Courthouse will remain open for those seeking emergency orders.

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