VIRGINIA BEACH — Some City offices will be closed and services unavailable for a short time Thursday to allow staff to attend the memorial service honoring the 12 people killed and four critically injured during the May 31 shootings in Building 2.
Between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m., the following offices will be closed:
- Mayor’s Office
- City Manager’s Office
- Communications Office
- Cultural Affairs Office
- Economic Development
- Finance – All divisions except Purchasing, which will remain open
- Housing and Neighborhood Preservation – Only Director’s Office closed
- Housing Resource Center will be closed for walk-ins and phone calls. Provider offices and shelters will continue to operate
- Human Resources
- Human Services Beach House program – Closed all day
- Office of Volunteer Resources
- Planning and Community Development, including Permits and Inspections
- Public Utilities – The call center (385-4631) will be staffed to take calls from customers. However, during the memorial, from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m., only priority calls such as water turn-offs and turn-ons will be serviced. All other inquiries will be addressed after 1 p.m. During the ceremony, calls to Public Utilities Operations front office (757-385-1400) will answered by 311
- Public Works – Thursday/Friday waste collection services may be delayed
- Virginia Beach Public Library – With the exception of the Joint Use Library, all branches, the Wahab Law Library, Records Management Office, and Library Administration
City offices and services not mentioned will be open and operating, although some may be at a reduced capacity.
“I have asked all departments to do what we can to make sure everyone who wants to attend the service be allowed to do so,” City Manager Dave Hansen said. “Each department has assessed its operations and is making adjustments. We just ask the public to be patient during the time when some offices are closed and some services are temporarily unavailable during this period.”
While the memorial service (10 a.m. – noon) will focus on the victims and their families, friends and colleagues, the city invites the public who would like to join in paying respects to attend or view the service online at www.LoveForVB.com.
The service will be at the Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater, 3550 Cellar Door Way, officials said. Each attendee is allowed to bring only one personal item, like a purse or backpack, into the venue and all are subject to search.
For the full list of allowed and prohibited items, click here or here.
