MILTON-FREEWATER CITY HALL OFFICES, PUBLIC WORKS OFFICES & LIBRARY WILL BE CLOSED TO THE PUBLIC UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE

PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:  March 17, 2020 revised March 30, 2020

IN A CONTINUING EFFORT TO LIMIT THE SPREAD OF THE COVID-19 VIRUS, MILTON-FREEWATER CITY HALL OFFICES, PUBLIC WORKS OFFICES & LIBRARY WILL BE CLOSED TO THE PUBLIC UNTILFURTHER NOTICE

While we will be closed to the public, we will still be open for business via our phone, email systems for our regular office hours of 7:00 am to 4:00 pm Monday through Friday.

Utility, court, fee and licensing payments may be made by calling during regular business hours (541) 938-5531, or dropped off at either of our two drop boxes, one to the west of City Hall outside the police department, or on Broadway Avenue in front of the post office.

You may also make payments on-line by logging into www.xpressbillpay.com. If you do not have an on-line account set up, please call our Finance staff at (541) 938-5531 to have our staff assist you in setting one up.  We are able to accept payments by credit, debit or check over the phone.

See below for a list of closures and special modifications for the following of our services:

Milton Freewater LIBRARY will be closed to the public effective March 18th. Books may be returned at either of the book drops---one on 8th Street side of the Library Building, and the other a stand-alone box on the west side of City Hall outside the police department. You may call the library (541) 938-8247 or email staff (please see the web site for a list email addresses) for assistance with renewing materials. The Library will observe the special hours of 7:00 am to 3:30 p.m. during this time of closure to the public.  As a reminder, all special events hosted by the library have been canceled at this time.

Any pre-trial Municipal Court proceedings will be rescheduled for June 25th. For specifics of individual citations please call our Court Clerk at (541) 938-8203.

In deference to our Governor’s ban on public gatherings, no Community Building or Library Meeting Room reservations will be taken effective immediately until further notice. All standing reservations taken for this period of time will be considered canceled.

Our Public Transportation programs---Bus and Taxi---will still operate their regular routes and times. Please see transportation driver for specific rules for public protection due to concerns over virus spread. Taxi tickets may be purchased by calling the Finance Department at (541) 938-5531.

Our Fire, Police and Emergency Dispatch departments will be operating as usual.

Public Works offices will be closed to the public, but staff will be providing services as usual but please contact Public Works via phone at (541) 938-8270, (541) 938-8274 or (541) 938-8272). Recycling yards will be open at the regular dates and times, but they will not be manned. Please act responsibly and drop off your recyclables in the appropriate marked bins.

Our Electric Department will be closed to the public, but staff will be providing services as usual. You may contact the department by phone or email at (541) 938-8232 or (541) 938-8231.

Our Human Resources department will be closed to the public also, but can accept applications for open recruitments via email or facsimile. Applications may also be dropped off in the City’s drop boxes behind City Hall or on Broadway Avenue outside the Post Office. Human Resources may be reached by phone at (541) 938-8243.

The April Planning Commission meeting will be postponed until May 4th.

All other regular city commission, committee and board meetings will be postponed until further notice.

For specific contact numbers or more information, please visit our web site at www.mfcity.com

Questions about this press release should be directed to Linda Hall at (541) 938-8242 or Leanne Steadman at (541) 938-8233.