County commissioners approved a resolution Wednesday to send Gov. Tom Wolf a letter requesting that Butler be included in the counties to move into the “yellow” stage of reopening businesses on May 8.

The yellow phase allows businesses and child care facilities to reopen and lifts the stay-at-home restriction with strict protocol in place.

The commissioners included a long list of reasons in the letter why Butler County is prepared to open its businesses and allow furloughed employees to return to work in many cases.

Leslie Osche, commissioners chairwoman, said the Butler Health System’s COVID-19 cases are down, and health care professionals feel comfortable that the time has come to ease restrictions and even permit elected surgeries and other procedures.

She said the commissioners have met with all municipalities and every entity that would be affected by easing restrictions before deciding to request that the county be included in the yellow phase.

Remaining closed in the yellow phase would be schools, gyms, spas, theaters and casinos.

Restrictions would be in place at prisons and care facilities such as nursing homes.

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