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Commissioners task sheriff with drafting warming‑center/shelter procedure after winter‑weather incident
Summary
Following an incident where a person was left unattended in the courthouse during severe cold, commissioners asked the sheriff to draft standard operating procedures for handling stranded or displaced people when deputies are unavailable; options discussed included posting an indicator at the courthouse, using the post office/community center, or designating the conservation‑district office.
Commissioners and the sheriff discussed an incident in which a person was briefly left in the courthouse while staff was on a call. Commissioners expressed concern about leaving members of the public unattended in the building during severe winter conditions and requested that the sheriff draft a standard operating procedure for such situations.
Options raised included keeping a visible, quick indicator at an entrance (a magnet or placard) to show that someone is in the building, designating a 24/7 warming location (post office, community center or fire hall), using an empty county office (the weed/conservation district office was suggested) as a temporary shelter, or coordinating with neighboring agencies. The sheriff emphasized safety and said he would not bring persons into the building if there were criminal‑history concerns.
Commissioners asked for multiple options and asked staff to return with recommendations at the next meeting; they also requested coordination with churches, the fire hall and DES so the county has a clear plan for future extreme winter events.
