Marshfield council prepares to reopen city
By Hub City Times staff
MARSHFIELD – Marshfield’s parks and government facilities will have limited access until further notice.
The Marshfield Common Council voted on May 14 to operate under Safer At Home restrictions until at least its next meeting later this month.
City Attorney Harold Wolfgram said the state Supreme Court ruling on May 13 overturning the Governor’s restrictions technically left the city and its buildings open for business.
Alderman Nick Poeschel – a retired Marshfield police officer and emergency responder – urged his colleagues on the council to take action to limit public access to government facilities at this time, which he called “the most dangerous time.”
The council stopped short of implementing its own set of citywide Safer At Home restrictions, even though Alderman Ed Wagner said that’s exactly what one of his constituents was calling for. Wagner thought that might be difficult to enforce.
Mayor Bob McManus was against any sort of local ordinance restricting the public’s movements or access to business and industry.
The council voted to direct Administrator Steve Barg to draft a set of proposed guidelines for officials to follow, as the city starts to reopen its facilities to the public. Aldermen are tentatively scheduled to vote on that proposal at their next meeting on May 26.