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By Editor Becky Watts
ZEBULON - County Manager Ron Alexander advised all county employees by email on Friday afternoon that they would be going back to work on Monday. However an email was sent out today that read as follows: "After reading my responses below this morning, I realized I did not put the date. The date to resume functions is next Monday, May 4th. Please have your staff resume normal schedules, and open to the public as indicated below, Monday May 4th. I am sorry for the confusion. Thanks (sic) you, and let me know if you have any questions."
[Note from the Editor: County Manager Ron Alexander advised by phone this morning that the date was inadvertently left off the email that went out to employees on Friday afternoon making it appear that offices would be open today instead of next week. However, after a second look at my email from Friday that was forwarded with a note at the top regarding both reopening and the budget that Pike County Times had specifically asked about on Wednesday, the email that was sent to me and carbon copied to County Clerk Angela Blount specifically said, "The County is set to re-open the county office in accordance with the below as of Monday April 27th." Regardless, County Manager Alexander advised by phone and email to Pike County Times today that county offices will be opening to the public on Monday, May 4th and NOT TODAY.]
Alexander praised county staff for their handling of the crisis so far and said, "... you all deserve a great deal of gratitude for your efforts to keep your staff and the general public safe during these troubling times." He cited the Governor's decision to allow many areas of the state to return to "some levels of normal functions" and advised that the county would follow suit.
According to the email, county offices will reopen all services and county buildings to the public. This mandate does NOT include the offices of constitutional officers (those elected to office) such as the Sheriff's Office which has remained open during the crisis, Magistrate and Superior Court which are under mandates from the state judicial system as to how to operate, the Tax Commissioner's Office which will open on Monday (click here for more info), etc. Click here for more information on closings and reopenings in our county. Pike County Times will continue to update this page as information is received.
The email cited continued safety precautions that need to be followed including following state social distancing requirements and sanitation rules. "As of yesterday the Governor issued his latest order. The new order is allowing much of the state to return to some levels of normal functions. As such, as of Monday the county will follow suite and allow more of the county functions to resume normal operations. Stating Monday, please have all staff return to work, and please re-open all services and or county buildings to the general public."
As a continued safety precaution, all operations shall be conducted be under the following conditions: 1) All public and staff should remain at least 6 feet apart and all usuable areas and equipment are to be sanitized on a daily basis. 2) If an employee appears sick or has been confirmed to have come in close contact with COVID, the employee should be sent home by the Department Head and notification should be given to the County Manager. 3) The Department Head is to schedule the employee to be tested for COVID and confirm the results before the employee can return to work. 4) And if an employee has been sent home because of sickness or a close encounter with someone who has the COVID-19 coronavirus, Department Heads are instructed to contact Building and Grounds immediately and request that the facility be sanitized. "No staff or Public is to be allowed back in the effected county building or office, until those facilities are sanitized and deemed safe for habitation.
Since social distancing is required in each of these offices, it would be best to go to www.pikecoga.com and click on the drop down link Departments and Authorities in order to obtain contact information on the office you are going to instead of showing up unannounced.
Pike County Times will continue to update the list of closings and reopenings as that information is received.
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