Sioux Falls City Council to consider shelter-in-place order

The Sioux Falls City Council will consider a shelter-in-place order due to the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak, officials say.

In a briefing Tuesday, Mayor Paul TenHaken said the council will have the first reading of the proposed ordinance in its meeting Wednesday night.

The council usually meets Tuesday nights, but this week's meeting had previously been moved to Wednesday.

In order for the proposal to become law, the council would need to pass both this week's first reading and a second reading in next week's meeting. The mayor added "a lot can change" between this week and next week.

TenHaken did not discuss specifics of what the shelter-in-place order would look like in Tuesday's briefing. He previously described a potential order essentially extending Gov. Kristi Noem's

in Minnehaha and Lincoln counties to all people within city limits. The mayor said people would still be able to go to work, perform essential activities like grocery trips, and take part in outdoor activities as long as they maintain social distancing guidelines.

TenHaken said the city remains in talks with Noem and other state officials in Pierre about what steps to take. He said the state will present more data to him Tuesday afternoon.

The mayor had

to issue a shelter in place order for Minnehaha and Lincoln counties. Noem has not given any indication she plans on acting on that request, only saying Monday her office is "evaluating" the request.

TenHaken said he expects debate over the shelter-in-place order to be "lively." He urged people with any opinion on the issue to reach out to your city councilor. You can find your city council representative on the city's

.