The St. Joseph community is understandably concerned about the spread of the coronavirus, and as mayor, I want to share the actions currently taking, or could take if circumstances change. This is a first-of-its-kind situation for our community, but we must keep calm and take reasonable, disciplined steps as we move forward.
I need to emphasize that this is a public health crisis, and the lead agency is Minnesota Department of Health. They are our source for information, advisories and changing conditions. That said, the city has been collaborating with a range of partners including, but not limited to: National Guard, state legislators, neighboring cities, League of Minnesota Cities, Coalition of Greater Minnesota Cities, local businesses and nonprofits.
Cities in our area have canceled many summer events. The St. Joseph Parish has canceled Joetown Rocks and the Fourth of July Parade. This is a recurring theme as other cities across the state are doing the very same thing, canceling or postponing summer community events.
I just want to clarify the city’s position as this crisis persists. We are an active stakeholder in ensuring public safety for our community events, but ultimately, it is the sponsoring organization making the decision on canceling or postponing events. As the landscape for this plight changes, events might be permitted if the circumstances permit and safety procedures can be enacted.
The city of St. Joseph will continue to follow the direction of the governor and the CDC regarding mass gatherings. Social distancing and enforcement at large events will remain in place as long as there is a need to minimize the spread of Covid-19. However, this may or may not extend throughout the summer.
Mayor Rick Schultz, May 8
