PORT HAWKESBURY: Staff in the Town of Port Hawkesbury have already returned to their offices and are preparing to re-open their municipal offices to the public on June 15.
Terry Doyle, the town’s CAO, indicated during their virtual council meeting June 2 that most staff have returned to work, to fully prepare the building for its re-open to the public, with strict health and safety measures in place.
“As of June 1, most municipal staff who work in the municipal offices in the Civic Centre returned to work to their office space,” Doyle said. “We still have people to continue to work from home – to ensure social distancing occurs.”
The back to work plan is broken down into three phases, phase one – which is already in place, saw staff return to work in their municipal offices; phase two – includes the opening of the town offices in the Civic Centre to the public, which will occur on June 15; phase three – will be further down the road when legislation changes and restrictions are lifted allowing operations to return to a pre-COVID normal which includes public council meetings.
The public will not be authorized to enter the office spaces without an appointment. Anybody wishing to meet with a staff member are asked to request an appointment by contacting them directly, calling (902) 625-2745, or through request at the box office window.
Interest will now apply on overdue tax and water accounts commencing June 30.
Doyle advised work is continuing on determining when it will be safe to open other facilities in the Civic Centre including the fitness centre, walking track, and meeting and conference rooms.
“Restrictions have been lifted provincially on fitness centers, but part of being able to open is having a plan in place to ensure protection of the public,” he said. “With the independent owners of the smaller gyms across the province, we didn’t have the ability to submit our own plans, like the larger nation-wide gyms, so we submitted a plan together, and it’s currently under review.”
Until their plan has been given the provincial stamp of approval, the town won’t be able to determine an opening date.