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Cheyenne County commissioners ask staff to define essential services, add courthouse-closure procedures and emergency routes
Summary
Commissioners agreed to ask staff to draft a policy that defines essential and nonessential county departments, clarifies who can close the courthouse, and adds designated emergency and priority routes; staff also encouraged attendance at a May 20 debris-management course in Hays.
Cheyenne County commissioners directed staff to develop a written policy to identify essential and nonessential county departments and to lay out procedures for closing nonessential services and the courthouse during emergency events.
The request came during general business discussion when Speaker 3 said, “we need to identify who's essential and nonessential departments in our county and get that clearly defined in our employee handbook.” Commissioners and staff also discussed adding designated emergency and priority routes to county policy.
The commissioners said they wanted a clear process for deciding when and how nonessential departments would be closed. Speaker 3 added that staff should “look at how the decision to close nonessential departments goes as well” and requested that personnel procedures be clarified so county employees and the public know how closures would be handled.
Commissioners asked for a specific staff member—identified in the meeting as Ryan—to investigate and draft the proposed policy. No formal vote was recorded; the board agreed to have staff return with a plan.
Separately, staff promoted an emergency-debris management course scheduled for May 20 in Hays. Speaker 3 described the class as an “intense long day” that covers response and management after floods, tornadoes and other disasters, including questions about landfill capacity and how to handle large volumes of timber and building debris. The speaker said the state is “really, really encouraging” attendance from county and city public-works staff and other agencies.
Commissioners also discussed ensuring that the county’s emergency fuel and equipment plans match the locations of road access and that answers to practical questions—such as where graders or fuel staging points would be placed—are resolved before severe-weather events.
The board did not adopt any new ordinance or binding rule during the discussion; instead staff were tasked to return with draft language and a recommendation on routes and closure procedures.
