Brent Goss, president of the Ellsworth County Fair Association, briefed Ellsworth County Commissioners Tuesday, May 26, on the plan for this year’s fair.

“We’re kind of looking at options,” Goss said.

Goss said it would basically be a 4-H-only fair where 4-H members would have limited times with judges for their projects.

Goss said the fair association is working with Kerianne Ehrlich, county health department supervisor, on options.

“All this stuff that we’re talking about right there, that’s based on what’s going on right now,” Commissioner Dennis Rolfs said. “The 4-H Fair is two months from now. Quite possibly some of that stuff could be relaxed a little bit depending upon what goes on between now and then.”

Marcia Gier, 4-H and youth development agent for the Midway Extension District in Ellsworth and Russell counties, said everything with the fair is contingent upon restrictions due to COVID-19.

“If we have a plan in place and then we put that loophole in there that says if things loosen and restrictions are not quite as tight, we can adjust our restrictions as well,” Gier said.

The Ellsworth County Fair is July 18-24.

Gier said the plan is to still be able to have a fair but limit the amount of people who attend by not showcasing the work for the public.

She said the 4-H members would bring their entries in, get them judged, have a conversation with the judge, then take their entries with them.

“It would be the same schedule, but they would come, show their animal and leave,” Gier added.

Goss said all the livestock would be in the same building, but in separate areas.

“I just want to make sure we give the youth an opportunity to showcase their talent,” Goss said. “That’s our goal. Our board policy is we’re going to follow whatever Kerianne says. We’re going to work hard to make sure we get it done and in a safe manner.”

• Ehrlich said Ellsworth County restaurants with salad bars can now reopen to public access as well as those businesses with self-serve food and drink.

Parks and playgrounds in the county are also now open, Ehrlich noted.

Ehrlich said hand sanitizer dis penser stations will be placed in the parks throughout the county. They will be placed on stands donated by Maico Inc. of Ellsworth.

Dr. Ronald Whitmer, county health officer, said he wished the public would follow the guidelines established by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention by wearing a mask when in public.

Ehrlich said 106 tests for COVID-19 have been taken in Ellsworth County so far, with 10-18 of the results still outstanding. All have been negative so far, with the exception of the two verified positive cases.

• Andrew Bair, chief executive officer at Ellsworth County Medical Center, encouraged people to seek the health care they need. He said patient volumes in some departments at ECMC have dropped between 60 and 80 percent because of the COVID-19 crisis. Therefore, he is starting to open things up a little bit at the hospital and rural health clinics.

Bair said he is holding his breath to see if patient volume comes back up.

• By consensus, the commissioners agreed not to send $27,000 to the North Central Flint Hills Area Agency on Aging as requested until officials from that agency visit in person.