MANSFIELD — Richland County commissioners on Thursday discussed with their department heads the gradual return of employees, some of whom are still working remotely due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We are not asking (any department) to do the same thing,” Commissioner Darrell Banks said. “We want to give you flexibility. We will move forward, not race forward.”
Some departments under the commissioners’ purview, such as Dayspring, have not had any employees working remotely since the pandemic reached Ohio in March 2020.
Others, such as Job & Family Services, still have 20 employees working remotely.
Other county departments that report to commissioners include maintenance, central services, human resources, emergency management, dog warden, building department and wastewater treatment.
Virus case numbers, which peaked in December, have continued to decline in recent weeks. The statewide average for positive COVID-19 tests was down to about 3 percent on March 1, down from 16 percent in mid-December.
In the region of Ohio that includes Richland County, hospitalization rates have also continued to decline, down 16 percent in the last seven days, 38 percent in the last 21 days and 73 percent in the last two months.
As of March 3, the Ohio Hospital Association reported 202 COVID-19 patients in the region’s hospitals, down from 1,059 on Dec. 15.
“We wanted to get your thoughts,” Commissioner Tony Vero said. “Looking at the numbers, which are trending down … the vaccines are getting out … hospitals are getting back to normal.
“We don’t want ‘one-size fits all.’ We will continue to be mindful of the spread. We are not saying if anyone is adamantly opposed to coming back (to the offices), but we wanted to get a feel,” Vero said.
None of the department heads balked at the notion of employees returning to in-person work.
Sharlene Neumann, executive director of Richland County Job & Family Services, said she would like to bring staff back gradually with the goal of all employees back in the offices by May 1.
“That way we can get used to each other and continue with our cleaning. We have had people (working remotely) for almost nine months with very little (in-person) contact,” Neumann said.
“Quite frankly, working from home has worked for JFS. (But) it’s time to bring them back,” she said. “I am ready to bring people back.”
Commissioners thanked department heads and their employees for finding ways to work and keep county services flowing during the pandemic since the first statewide shutdown orders for non-essential workers came out March 12.
The county courthouse has remained open during the pandemic, unlike the City of Mansfield Municipal Building across the street, which closed for two different periods of time, reopening for a second time Jan. 25.
