Mayor Nicholls on state re-opening: “People really need to take personal responsibility”

City of Yuma Mayor Douglas Nicholls responds to Arizona Governor Doug Ducey's plans to reopen the state.

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) - Reopening following stay at home orders vary from state to state and community to community.

Last Friday, salons, and barbershops reopened in Arizona.

Monday, restaurants reopened.

Tuesday, Arizona Governor, Doug Ducey, announced by May 15, the entire state of Arizona's stay at home order is expected to be lifted.

Mayor of the City of Yuma, Douglas Nicholls, lacked a "hard opinion of his own" on the timeliness of reopening the state and city.

He said he's following the governor’s lead.

“It is up to [Gov. Ducey] as he has stated in his executive orders that these decisions are at his level,” said Nicholls in an interview Tuesday.

Doctor Anthony Fauci gave a strong warning to states about opening too soon, saying it could lead to more deaths.

In Yuma County, COVID-19 cases rise daily, for which Nicholls responded, “I know that if you do more testing you have more opportunities for positives.”

However, is there balance between the health of city residents and the stabilization of its economy?

Is one being compromised for the other?

Nicholls says, “I don’t really know how to answer that question because there’s no right path forward.”

Leading a rural city through a global pandemic is a position the mayor says he couldn’t expect, yet Nicholls is placing ultimate personal responsibility on local residents.

“I will fully respect those businesses that say we’re just not ready, we’re just not comfortable. And I respect those that say I don’t feel comfortable going out to a restaurant or to a retail store. That is personal responsibility. That is where we really need to be focused."