S.J. to close some departments to public
STOCKTON — As the number of confirmed cases of coronavirus continues to increase, San Joaquin County officials plan to close several departments to the public on Wednesday.
The San Joaquin County Board of Supervisors will hold another special meeting on Tuesday to receive an update on the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as approve temporary closures and adjust service hours to the public.
In a staff report to be presented to supervisors, County Administrator Monica Nino is recommending closing the administration building at 22. N. San Joaquin St., the Environmental Health department at 1868 E. Hazelton Ave., and the lobby shared by Public Works and the Community Development departments at 1810 E. Hazelton Ave. in Stockton.
“We’re trying to bend the curve and stop the spread of the virus, and also protect our employees,” deputy county administrator Jolena Voorhis said Monday. “By closing the building, this will alleviate or stop some of the traffic that could potentially increase exposure.”
In recent weeks, county employees have expressed concern for their health and safety through emails submitted to the board, stating they have been required to report to work.
Nino has told supervisors at recent meetings that while the county will continue to operate “business as usual,” departments were given the discretion to let their employees work remotely.
Security officers and office managers are currently still in the county administration building, Voorhis said, and if shut down this week, it would allow employees to telecommute and still provide service to the community.
She said the consideration to completely close departments has been gradual.
“All employees have been told to telecommute as much as possible,” Voorhis said. “But if they are an essential worker, that’s a little different because they’re going to be needed more than other employees to help assist the public in need.”
Supervisor Chuck Winn, who represents Lodi, said the move to alter service hours and possibly close these departments to the public is another step toward protecting the health of the community, as well as county employees.
In addition, he said the move will allow essential services county residents will continue to need during the current crisis to remain open, but only through telephone and online interaction.
He said the county has already modified the way several departments interact with the public, and residents can get the complete list of departments and their level of service at www.sjgov.org/services.
“Hopefully on Tuesday we can provide a little more indepth information to the public as to what levels of service they can expect from some of our departments,” he said. “We’re trying to do our best to alert the public about what the severity of this pandemic and what services will still be available.”
Since March 4, when Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency, the agricultural commissioner’s office, the assessor-recorder-county clerk’s office, the treasure-tax collector’s office and veteran services, have closed their doors to the public, according to Tuesday’s staff report.
Those departments will be seeking retroactive approval from the board to close their doors, the staff report said.
In addition, the San Joaquin County District Attorney’s Office has closed its doors to large groups, and is meeting with the public by appointment only and on an as-needed basis.
The county Parks and Recreation Department closed all parks to the public, and the Public Guardian/Conservator has reduced its hours open to the public to two a day to help stop the spread of the coronavirus, the staff report said.
Winn said the county is doing fairly well compared to other regions of the state, and was proud of the way its employees, the private sector and the public at large have cooperated together to try and reduce the COVID-19 spread.
“This situation is everchanging, and we have to adapt to provide the best protection for the public,” he said. “I think with what we’re doing, we’ll be a little more resilient in the way we prepare for a disaster like this in the future.
Tuesday’s meeting begins at 9 a.m., and can be viewed online at sanjoaquincountyca.iqm2.com/Citizens/default.aspx.