Rice Lake Votes to Defy Governor's Orders, Reopen Businesses

The Mayor and City Council of Rice Lake, Wisc. voted over the recommendations of their Police Chief, County Sheriff and County Public Health Nurse to pass a resolution Tuesday night to override the Wisconsin Governor's Stay-at-Home orders that require non-essential businesses to remain closed through the month of May.

The Mayor said he heard from many businesses that they could potentially "go under" if not allowed to re-open in the next two weeks. The Public Health Nurse confirmed Barron County currently had no known active CoVid-19 cases, but reminded the Council that one of the biggest employers in the county is Jennie-O turkey processing factory in neighboring Barron, Wisc., and that migrant workers for other agricultural businesses soon would be returning to the county, with one local dormitory housing 70 workers in one room. Those businesses remain open as they are considered essential in the state.

Council members also discussed the influx of tourists to cabins in northern Wisconsin, coming from Chicago, Beloit and Madison among other places.  The Barron County Sheriff, who had been watching the Zoom video meeting but had no active microphone, dialed in and was asked by the Rice Lake Mayor if he were prepared to come into the City and enforce the Governor's order on Rice Lake businesses that might choose to re-open under the Rice Lake City Council resolution despite being labeled non-essential under the definitions used in the Governor's order.

The Sheriff responded he was obligated to follow the Governor's order. He said there were three ways he could be removed from office: 1) upon his own death; 2) being voted out of office by county citizens; or 3) by "a stroke of the pen" from the Wisconsin Governor dismissing him as Sheriff.  The Rice Lake Police Chief appeared in uniform on camera and said he agreed with the Barron County Public Health Nurse and Sheriff that the Governor's orders were to be followed in the City.

The City Legal Advisor -- the attorney contracted to provide legal counsel to the council -- said he had crafted the resolution that later passed after a similar one in Hartford, Wisc.  One council member said the resolution allowing businesses to choose to reopen in Rice Lake put the power of decision-making back into the hands of the local people.

At least two women commented several times after the vote popping up on the bottom of the screen showing the Zoom coverage of the Council meeting, one insisting she would refuse to shop now and in the future at Rice Lake businesses that choose to reopen, and the other decrying the Council for passing without public comment the resolution to allow Rice Lake businesses to reopen.  The public comment portion of the meeting had been suspended due to the video transmission of the meeting by the Council, which has suspended live meetings in compliance with the Governor's current order limiting in-person gatherings to less than 10 people.  The mayor stated earlier in the meeting after there were minor audio and computer freeze-up issues that he is eager to resume meeting in public again.

Full coverage of the City Council meeting is expected tomorrow in the Rice Lake Chronotype local newspaper.