Mayor Alvey asks residents to tell him their opinions on reopening society

Mayor David Alvey has asked residents to tell him their opinions on reopening society.

Those opinions may be sent to the Unified Government website at https://us.openforms.com/Form/4b9766db-40b6-4098-a72c-0262e04df6f9.

Late Thursday, the mayor announced a ReStart WYCO Committee that will provide guidance on how to safely reopen once the COVID-19 stay-at-home orders are lifted.

Mayor Alvey said in a video that if Gov. Laura Kelly decides not to extend the state’s stay-at-home order, which goes through May 3, then local communities would decide whether to implement their own stay-at-home orders. Wyandotte County is in discussions with Johnson and Leavenworth counties and Kansas City, Missouri, and nearby Missouri counties to align their orders, he said.

“We will continue to watch the progress of the virus, and we will take whatever measures are necessary to prevent an overload to our health care system,” Mayor Alvey said.

The 25-member committee will not decide when to reopen, but how to safely reopen, according to officials.

The group is expected to look at best practices, and to outline a tiered approach to the relaxation of orders to prevent the spread of COVID-19, the mayor stated. The mayor urged residents to continue staying at home at the present time.

The “when” question in reopening Wyandotte County will depend on health guidance from Dr. Allen Greiner, Wyandotte County chief medical officer, according to UG officials.

The co-chairs of the ReStart WYCO Committee are Dr. Greiner and UG Commissioner Brian McKiernan. The committee plans a meeting today.

On the committee, besides McKiernan and Greiner, are Mayor David Alvey, Dr. Erin Corriveau (KUMC), David Piece (American Family Insurance), the Rev. Dr. LeAnne De Tar Newbert (Mercy and Truth Safety Net Clinics), Terrie Garrison (UG Health Department), David Wild, (KUMC), Melissa Nead (The Dotte Spot Bar and Grill), Chonita Madison (hair stylist), Mike Benitez (Chips and Coins, Downtown Shareholders), Michael Talboy (Burns and McDonnell), Paul Norbega (Central Solutions, Fairfax Industrial Association), David Staker (Plastic Packaging Technologies), Byron Bowels (MVP Law), Dr. Ricky Turner (Oak Ridge Baptist Church), Dan Brungardt (USD 204), Randy Lopez (Wyandotte Health Foundation), Stacy Scheelk (Legacy Development), Alan Carr (KCK Convention and Visitors Bureau), Greg Kindle (Wyandotte Economic Development Council), Daniel Silva (KCK Chamber of Commerce), Doug Bach (UG), Alley Porter (UG), Ken Moore (UG) and Alan Howze (UG).

For more information about the ReStart WYCO Committee, visit https://www.wycokck.org/WycoKCK/media/Health-Department/Documents/Communicable%20Disease/COVID19/ReStartWYCOCommitteeFormed04232020.pdf.