In Marshfield, the town is in the process of adjusting to a new normal due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Selectmen adopted a plan to re-open facilities and Town Hall.
Town Administrator Michael Maresco says effective June 22nd, employees will start returning back to work. The bulk of town employees have been working from home. A 25 percent capacity will remain on some offices.
The Board of Health, Building Department, IT, the Treasure/Collector’s Office, and DPW have been deemed as critical to town services, and will be allowed to go beyond the limit.
The Town Hall is closed while renovations are being made, but public access will be back in a few weeks.
The plan is to have limited access on Monday nights from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. for commuters, Tuesdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., and Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
“The reason I picked those dates, as you know, Tuesdays and Thursday nights we already have Town Hall on a rotating schedule to be sanitized from stem to stern,” Maresco said during the Selectmen’s meeting.
Each morning employees will have their temperature taken before entering town hall.
“Then we have guidelines; don’t share pens, don’t share pencils, don’t share equipment,” said Maresco. “The same thing with the DPW. I know it’s going to sound funny but even the tools – the jackhammers, all the stuff that they use. It needs to be a protocol to wipe that down so you’re taking every possible effort to stem the spread of any germs.”
Per Governor Charlie Baker’s recommendations, they’re trying to keep as much business online as possible.
“Since we’ve had Town Hall closed, people have been able to pay all their bills. We’re at the highest rate of collection and we’re at almost 97-and-a-half percent collection,” said Maresco. “People have really made a concerted effort. They can also get their dog licenses, their beach stickers – anything that you can do in person you can do online. We want to continue that.”
The Marshfield re-opening plan will be posted on the town website.
