State closing its Cole County offices for Aug. 21 solar eclipse

The Harry S Truman State Office Building in Jefferson City, Mo.
The Harry S Truman State Office Building in Jefferson City, Mo.

Missouri's Office of Administration announced Friday that non-essential executive department state offices in Cole County will be closed Aug. 21 for the solar eclipse.

In a statement, OA Commissioner Sarah Steelman said: "According to reports from the Department of Public Safety, MoDOT and local law enforcement partners, the kind of congestion expected for this event can create safety and security risks for the public.

"We believe closing non-essential state offices for this historic event is in the best interest of our state employees and the thousands of people expected to visit Cole County the day of the eclipse."

Letting the non-essential state workers off in Cole County is not expected to interrupt essential state services, according to the OA news release - which also reported the decision was made "after consultation with members of the entire executive cabinet."

The state Legislature and judiciary did not make any announcement Friday.

Cole County and Jefferson City governments said they would remain open - although it's possible offices would be closed during the duration of the eclipse.

Mid-Missouri is in the path of totality - where people can see the moon completely cover the sun, temporarily blocking sunlight from reaching the ground.

Others in the country outside that path will see only a partial eclipse, where the sunlight isn't blocked completely.

A total solar eclipse has not crossed Missouri's borders in 148 years - and then it only clipped the northeast corner of the state.

The United States has not seen one in 38 years.

The OA news release noted Jefferson City is considered "one of the best places in the state, if not the country, for viewing the total solar eclipse, and has been chosen by NASA TV as one of seven locations across the United States from which to broadcast the event live."

Some have estimated as many as 40,000-50,000 people will visit Jefferson City to see the total solar eclipse, which will occur at 1:15 p.m. - and last just two and a half minutes.

Hotel rooms in Jefferson City already are sold out for dates around the eclipse.

While there will be many places in Mid-Missouri where people will have a good view of the eclipse, the OA news release noted the decision to give non-essential state employees the day off included that "a large number of these visitors will be concentrated at or around the Capitol Complex in downtown Jefferson City, which will create substantial congestion in area traffic and a strain on downtown parking."

About 13,800 state employees work in Cole County, including essential and non-essential positions, OA spokeswoman Ryan Burns told the News Tribune. "It is up to the discretion of the executive department directors to determine which of their employees are essential."

She added, "There will be no additional cost to the state."

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Missouri's Office of Administration announced Friday that non-essential executive department state offices in Cole County will be closed Aug. 21 for the solar eclipse.

In a statement, OA Commissioner Sarah Steelman said: "According to reports from the Department of Public Safety, MoDOT and local law enforcement partners, the kind of congestion expected for this event can create safety and security risks for the public.

"We believe closing non-essential state offices for this historic event is in the best interest of our state employees and the thousands of people expected to visit Cole County the day of the eclipse."

The action is not expected to interrupt essential state services, according to the OA news release.