Rapides Parish Police Jury

WHEREAS, a COVID-19 health crisis has been declared by the U.S. Center for Disease Control; and emergency declarations have been issued by the President of the United States, the Governor of Louisiana, and the Rapides Parish Police Jury;

AND WHEREAS, the U.S. Center for Disease Control, the President of the United States, and the Governor of Louisiana, have all issued appropriate protective guidelines and restrictions for a Phase I Reopening of government and private businesses;

AND WHEREAS, it is the duty of the Rapides Parish Police Jury to protect the health, safety and welfare of the Parish employees and the members of the public, in accordance with the guidelines and restrictions issued, and the recommendations of the Rapides Parish Public Health Officer;

PHASE I REOPENING: May 18 – June 5, 2020

The Rapides Parish Courthouse and other Parish buildings will reopen to the public at 8:00 a.m. on Monday, May 18th;

The Phase I 25% occupancy rule limits the courthouse to 150 members of the public at one time;

A Parish Ordinance has been adopted requiring all Parish employees who have contact with the public or are in a public area to wear a face mask or covering AND requiring all members of the public to wear a face mask or covering to gain entry to and to remain inside the courthouse;

The 9th Judicial District Court will stagger court dates/hearings/trials to assist in controlling the 25% occupancy rule (150 Public);

ZOOM technology for court proceedings will be utilized as much as possible;

The public will ONLY be allowed entrance through the Front door (Handicap Accessible) of the Parish Courthouse;

The Rapides Parish Sheriff’s Office will maintain control of the head count (150 public) at the front door;

The Rapides Parish Sheriff’s Office will require a Temperature & Health check of the employees & the public at the entrance of the courthouse;

The courthouse will provide 6 ft. social distance floor markers inside the front lobby area of courthouse and outside of courthouse for a waiting area;

Front & Rear elevators limited to 2 persons at one time – large signs will be posted;

Each Parish agency will be managing crowd control within their individual office & provide appropriate floor markings for 6 ft. social distancing;

The Parish will provide cleaning, sanitizing, disinfecting of the courthouse common areas and each Parish agency will provide inner office disinfection & hand sanitizers & disinfectant wipes;

The Parish will provide for hand sanitizers in the common areas of courthouse and Plexiglass Safety Shields will be provided in the appropriate areas of the courthouse, and

The other Parish buildings which will reopen to the public on May 18th include the Sales Tax Office, LA Workforce & Unemployment Office, Civil Service Office, and Veterans Affairs Office, under the same restrictions set forth above;

OLIVER “OLLIE” OVERTON, JR. Vice President BRUCE KELLY Treasurer LAUREL SMITH Secretary

DISTRICT A

DAVRON “BUBBA” MOREAU DISTRICT B JOE BISHOP DISTRICT C CRAIG SMITH DISTRICT D THEODORE FOUNTAINE, JR. DISTRICT E RUSTY WILDER DISTRICT F OLIVER “OLLIE” OVERTON, JR. DISTRICT G SEAN McGLOTHLIN 5242 RUE MARIA DISTRICT H DAVID JOHNSON DISTRICT I SCOTT PERRY, JR. CRAIG SMITH President