THE 139 PICNIC IS STILL A GO – Without taking any action with a 5 – 0 vote the El Dorado Springs City Council voted to adjourn the special council meeting called on Monday, June 29, to discuss whether or not to hold the annual Picnic in downtown El Dorado Springs, slated for July 16 – 18. Before the vote, Councilman Jim Luster mentioned that the “Picnic is on unless we vote not to have it.”

  The 50 plus crowd at the meeting consisted of passionate Picnic fans, passionate Picnic Committee members and passionate members of the medical community.

   Mayor Nathan Murrell addressed some of the issues he’d seen on social media. He said the council does not get paid, the council has never voted on the Picnic and the survey released on social media was not released by the council.

  Michelle Leroux said that positive Covid-19 cases are on our doorstep, “with cities like Joplin, being named “America’s number one COVID hot spot.” She continued, ’Just don’t go’ fail  to recognize the impact on the community in the following weeks after someone is exposed to COVID-19 at the Picnic. An asymptomatic case may unknowingly spread the virus at local stores, restaurants, the hospital, a health clinic.

  Paramedic Katy McGee said she had been deployed to New York City and didn’t think we needed to cancel an outdoor event. Others in attendance mentioned the traffic that goes up and down 54 Hwy. bringing a large number of people to our convenience stores and restaurants. Every interaction could affect someone in El Dorado Springs.

  Amber Francis stated the she had spoken to the Health Department and they advised against having the Picnic. “We cannot jeopardize the lives of our citizens.” She mentioned that the Picnic is not essential.

  Picnic Committee member Lisa Brown said that her daughter, who is in the medical field, told her that the chances of contracting COVID-19 at a outdoor event is less than 10%. She said that she was told that the disease is less deadly as it mutates.

  Other speakers said that the COVID shut-down of business, organizations and churches had put them in a financial crunch and the Picnic was a way to make money for their various causes.

  Councilman Cory Gayman asked City Manager Bruce Rogers if he had talked to Arlo Rupke, the director of Emergency Management. Rogers said he had and Rupke recommended adhering to CDC guidelines. Rogers said the city has ordered hand sanitizing stations. Rogers said something else the city might do is pass an ordinance requiring masks, but he didn’t know how to enforce it. Rogers also said that the carnival, Funtime Shows, has had several engagements before this one and is aware of the actions to take which includes sanitizing all their equipment and taking a temperature reading of each employee before they go to work. Gayman also asked about the city’s liability. Rogers said that the Picnic is covered for communicable diseases through 2021.

  The meeting lasted about 90 minutes with the majority wanting to have the Picnic as planned. Several concerned citizens mentioned their ill loved ones as reasons to not have the Picnic.

  All councilmen were present: Brett Entrikin, Jim Luster, Nick Bland, Mayor Nathan Murrell and Cory Gayman. City Manager Bruce Rogers was present as was City Clerk Kandi Baldwin.

  Citizens can see the whole special meeting in its entirety on the El Dorado Spring Chamber of Commerce facebook page.