Williamsburg City Manager Andrew Trivette on Friday released the city’s phased reopening plan.
The plan allows employees to slowly reacclimate to a new working environment as residents adjust to changes in how the city serves them.
The city is now on Phase 0, which in most cases is similar to Phase 1.
In Phase 0, facilities remain closed to the public and all services remain available online or by alternative means. All special events that require a permit are canceled. City Council, Boards and Commissions hold virtual meetings. All eligible employees shall continue to telework.
Employees continue to wear masks, alternate shifts and have their temperature screened twice daily.
All business travel outside of the region is canceled.
All city staff were tested for COVID-19 Thursday.
Here’s the plan
Phase 1
For the public:
- All public facilities to remain closed to the public.
- All services remain available online or by alternative means.
- All special events that require a permit are canceled.
- City Council, Boards and Commissions will continue to hold virtual meetings.
For city workers:
- All eligible employees will continue to telework.
- Employees continue to wear masks, alternate shifts and have their temperature screened twice daily.
- All business travel outside of the region is canceled.
Phase 2
For the public:
- All public buildings will remain closed to the public.
- Parks and playgrounds will reopen with limited services — rental services for facilities and equipment will remain unavailable.
- Entrance fees at all parks will be waived and no staff will be available to the public.
- All city services remain available online or by alternative means.
- City Council, Boards and Commissions will continue to hold virtual meetings.
- All special events that require a permit may be allowed to continue if an infection management plan is submitted to and approved by the city manager.
For city workers:
- Employees continue to wear masks, alternate shifts and have their temperature screened twice daily.
- Alternating shifts will allow employees to begin reporting and adjust to the new work environment and procedures.
- The city will provide free daycare to reporting employees with children ages 6 months to 12 years old to help staff return to work.
- All business travel outside of the state is canceled.
Phase 3
For the public:
- All public buildings will be open to the public.
- Parks and playgrounds will open with full service.
- Public facilities will be available on a limited basis using a service queue. At the lobby of each public facility, patrons will need to check in, request a service and will be alerted by text or with a pager that they may proceed to the requested department.
- Residents in need of services will be required to wear a facemask while in any area where more than one person is present – disposable masks will be available at the entrance.
- Service counters will be outfitted with barriers and markings on the floor will show safe social distances.
- All city services remain available online or by alternative means.
- All special events that require a permit may be allowed to continue if an infection management plan is submitted to and approved by the city manager.
For city workers:
Telework will remain available for employees deemed to be at a higher risk, all other employees will report to work in-person.
Employees will continue to wear masks, and have their temperature screened twice daily.
The city will provide free daycare to all reporting employees with children ages 6 months to 12 years old to help staff return to work.
All business travel outside of the state is discouraged and will need approval by the city manager.
Phase 4 — Williamsburg’s Path Forward
- All public buildings will be open to the public.
- All city services will remain available online or by alternative means.
- The bullet points in these phases are not intended to be exhaustive, merely demonstrative of the city’s plan to keep the public and city staff safe during the pandemic.
YOU ALSO MIGHT WANT TO CHECK OUT THESE STORIES:
- Forward Williamsburg: Nearly 200 city employees tested for the coronavirus
- Five things you need to know: Phase 1 reopening
- Vaccinations are declining in Virginia and pediatricians are worried about a new public health problem. What’s going on locally?
- Public universities on the Peninsula gear up for budget cuts, state funding during the coronavirus
