EXCELSIOR SPRINGS – City employees will receive paid COVID-related sick leave for roughly five more months. As City Manager Molly McGovern stated in a Jan. 12 memo to city leaders, the city had granted workers the benefit April-December 2020 in accordance with the Families First Coronavirus Response, and Emergency Family and Medical Leave Expansion acts passed under the Trump administration. On Jan. 19, the City Council extended the benefit through June 30, retroactively from New Year’s Day. In her memo, McGovern recommended extending the benefit because the city’s workforce is still “experiencing a high rate of community spread.” She emphasized that point when addressing city leaders shortly before the vote to extend the coverage “without federal mandates.” “We’re experiencing … new illnesses even this week,” McGovern said. “This would be very helpful for all our employee families.” Workers may receive 80 hours’ maximum “supplemental paid sick leave.” The ordinance also permits…