ST. LOUIS (KMOX) - The mayor of Eureka – in St. Louis County – says he's reopening on Monday along with the rest of the state, even though St. Louis County isn't.
Mayor Sean Flower posted a letter on Facebook saying his city will reopen May 4 in accordance with the state. But that runs afoul of St. Louis County orders.
The mayor says they "can't follow the rules we are under without economic ruin." Plus, he says parks in Eureka never closed as they were ordered to.
The letter notes that surrounding St. Charles, Franklin and Jefferson County have all indicated they will be reopening along with the state on Monday. And parts of Eureka stretch into Jefferson County.
In response, spokesman for County Executive Sam Page, Doug Moore says, "We hope any business that violates a public health order makes an informed decision. Following the law, including public health orders, could impact a business’s qualification for relief funds and for insurance coverage."
He consulted physicians and says he isn’t taking any action without their approval.
After speaking with residents, Flower found that people are struggling the most with the idea of ‘indefinitely’ and says we can’t keep everyone in their homes forever and there has to be a balance.