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INDEPENDENCE, MO (KCTV) — Two separate Mid-Continent Public Library locations are now closed down until further notice after positive COVID-19 cases.
One of which is the North Independence Branch at 317 W. 24 Highway and it will be used as a polling location on Election Day.
KCTV5 stands for you, so we reached out to the library to see how it can still be used as a polling spot, when the library itself is closed down.
According to Jacqueline Reed, the Associate Director for Public Services, all staff identified to have been exposed to a positive case of COVID-19 are in quarantine and will not be working. Also, on election day it will be staffed by those who have not been exposed.
She also added this isn’t their first rodeo. Unfortunately, they’ve had to close down other locations of theirs over the course of this pandemic due to positive cases.
“Unfortunately we’ve had a lot of practice with this and so we’ve got lots of checklists and guidelines and assignments so our staff can really take bits of it and run. We’ve been able to fine tune the process over time,” Reed said.
She said once they found out about the positive COVID case at the end of last week, they began their procedures immediately.
Crews have been deep cleaning and sanitizing the entire library.
Reed also mentioned they’ll have the voting area towards the front by the entrance.
“Located in a place where customers can get to the polling spot, and maybe to the restrooms but not necessarily the library. That way we can keep those areas closed off,” Reed said.
Reed said there’s about 800 people who vote at the North Independent Branch precinct. That of course doesn’t include the number of people who’ve already voted.
We did reach out to the Jackson County Health department regarding the situation. Health Department officials said they’ve been in regular contact with the library heads, and stated at this time, they do not believe there is any cause for concern in this location being a polling site.
Library services at Mid-Continent’s Farview Neighborhood location at 18109 E. 12th St. N. will also be closed until further notice due to COVID-19 exposure. It however, is not being used as a polling location.
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