The Prairie Village City Council this week voted unanimously to direct its attorney to draft an amendment to the city’s emergency ordinance that gives the mayor temporary authority to enforce local, state or federal health orders in the city. The decision to draft an amendment was prompted by the Johnson County Commission’s debate on whether or not to abide by Gov. Laura Kelly’s July 2 executive order requiring face masks. Prairie Village and the county commission are abiding by the governor’s order. But if the county had chosen not to implement Kelly’s order, Mayor Eric Mikkelson would have had no “clear authority” to override the county’s decision, he said. The proposed emergency ordinance amendment would give him the authority to order 48-hour compliance with local, state or federal health orders. If the mayor were to exercise that authority, the council would have that time to call an emergency meeting to consider a possible ordinance while the temporary order remains in effect. The council will consider the proposed ordinance amendment at its next meeting, on July 20, or sooner at an emergency meeting if it decides that becomes necessary.
(Read more: Shawnee Mission Post)
