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Wayne County Commissioners and Mayor Dave Snow worked to issue a Joint Executive Order consistent with the newest recommendations by the Wayne County, Indiana Health Department and the most recent Executive Order issued by the Governor of the State of Indiana. This order includes:

1. All prior Executive Orders jointly issued by the Board and the Mayor are hereby affirmed unless expressly modified herein.
2. It is recommended that all residents residing and/or working within the jurisdiction of Wayne County, Indiana and the City of Richmond, Indiana wear protective face masks when it is necessary to be in public places.
3. Consistent with Executive Order 20-18 issued by the Governor of Indiana on April 6, 2020, all social and country clubs are to be closed.
4. Every business that is permitted to remain open to the public under the various orders issued by the Governor of the State of Indiana should ensure that the occupancy rate, at all times, be at or below twenty-five percent (25%) of the approved total occupancy limit as set forth in such businesses’ permits.
5. All businesses with checkout lanes, whether such lanes are operated by an employee or are considered “self-checkout” lanes, should close every other checkout lane in order to assist in greater social distancing among customers.
6. All businesses selling food and beverage should encourage all employees and patrons to wear facial masks or coverings and should refrain from offering any self-serve food and/or beverage of any kind at all locations; and, as is set out in Executive Order 20-18 issued by the Governor, such retail businesses providing the necessities of life should limit the number of customers in their facility at any given time to achieve the CDC’s required social distancing; limit their hours of operation and consider implementing separate operating hours for the elderly and other vulnerable customers; and comply with social distancing and sanitation of applicable areas and other mitigations measures to protect its employees and the public.
7. In the event that a business has carts for use by its customers, all employees expected to move such carts should be offered personal protective equipment in order to ensure their safety, and all carts should be cleaned and sanitized prior to each use. Additionally, businesses should frequently clean and sanitize all “high touch surfaces”, which includes point-of-sale touch screens and gas pump handles.
8. All gas stations should post in a conspicuous place at all gas pumps signs that direct customers to sanitize their hands prior to and after use.
9. The City of Richmond, Indiana Public Transit System is suspending all bus fare until April 20, 2020; and as such, those needing to utilize public transportation offered by the City of Richmond, Indiana for essential travel purposes may do so without cost until the expiration of this Order. Additionally, the City will honor any bus passes purchased in the month of April through May 31, 2020.
10. The Richmond, Indiana Landfill shall modify its hours such that it is open to the general public as follows: Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays from 8:00 a.m. until 12:00 p.m. The Landfill shall remain open pursuant to its normal operating hours for any businesses deemed to be “essential” pursuant to previously issued Executive Orders executed by the Governor of Indiana.
11. Both the Mayor and the Board shall continue to monitor local developments relative to the COVID-19 emergency and additional, more restrictive directives may be forthcoming if the situation so requires.

Click to read the full Executive Order.