The Nixa City Council has declared an emergency during an emergency meeting on March 18.
The declaration gives power to the Mayor to make orders to restrict public gatherings and enact regulations in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
A violation of an order of the Mayor would be considered a violation of city ordinance, punishable by fine.
At the time this story has been published, that order has not been given.
On March 17, Christian County presiding commissioner Ralph Phillips did issue an order prohibiting public gatherings of 50 people or more and made it unlawful for anyone to organize or attend gatherings exceeding that size.
The City of Nixa continues to strongly encourage cancellation of events, meetings, and gatherings of 50 people or more.
Nixa is also closing The X Center to the public.
The facility will be closed through the end of March as a precautionary measure to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Nixa Parks will continue the Spring Break Camp program through April 3 for parents, so they don’t have to find alternative childcare.
The mayor has also issued an order limiting public gatherings to no more than 10 people.
Here’s more from the mayor’s office:
Effective at 5pm today (March 19, 2020) Nixa Mayor Brian Steele has issued an order declaring it unlawful for any person to organize or attend a public gathering of ten (10) people or more in a single space or room.
For the purposes of this order, a “public gathering” does not include the following:
- Funeral homes
- Educational institutions
- Daycare facilities
- Places of employment
- Grocery stores
- Retail stores
- Any activity a court of competent jurisdiction holds cannot constitutionally be closed in these specific circumstances.
- Any gatherings where the organizer can demonstrate to the Mayor, City, County, and State health officials that sufficient mitigation plans for infectious disease are in place.
In addition, any person who organizes a gathering of nine (9) people or less shall take appropriate action to minimize risk to the greatest extent possible by implementing and enforcing mitigation measures, including but not limited to, social distancing, limiting the time period of gatherings, frequent cleaning of all surfaces and posting of signs.
Nothing in this order prohibits public food establishments from offering delivery, pickup, and drive-thru services.
Any business may remain open to the public as long as they comply with the limit on 10 person gatherings and the social distancing requirements mentioned above.
