The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
Virus closes city hall, court
Three Lorain supermarkets will have expanded hours for senior citizens to shop with limited risk of exposure to large crowds.
Meanwhile, the novel coronavirus has not disrupted daily operations for Lorain police, firefighters and city workers.
But they are limiting face-to-face contact with people, said Mayor Jack Bradley.
“We’re still providing full services in all departments,” Bradley said. “We’re concentrating on the safety of the citizens of Lorain, but also trying to limit human contact based upon the fact that this virus is very contagious.”
The mayor offered an update about Lorain’s city operations with Safety-Service Director Max Upton and Deputy Safety-Service Director Rick Soto.
Stores open
The Walmart, Apples and Fligner’s Market grocery stores in Lorain will open with expanded hours, but limited access to crowds, for senior citizens ages 60 and older.
• Walmart is scheduled to open 5 to 6 a.m., March 17, and will open on Tuesdays for seniors.
• Apples will open at 6 a.m., March 17, 18 and 19, for seniors.
• Fligner’s Market will open at 6 a.m., March 18, and open on Wednesdays for senior shopping.
The city administration and staff thanked local grocers for their partnerships to make it safer for seniors to be out in the public, Upton said.
Second Harvest
The city will join with Second Harvest Food Bank of North Central Ohio for four city staffers to deliver food to those in need.
The delivery program is aimed at low-income senior citizens, but no one will be turned away.
Residents who need the delivery service should call Bradley’s office at 440-2042002 or the safety-service director’s office at 440-2042011.
Participants must offer their names, addresses and telephone numbers due to reporting requirements of Second Harvest Food Bank.
The administration
hopes to work with Neighborhood Alliance on the delivery program.
Lorain City Hall closed
Lorain City Hall closed to the public effective March 16.
On the afternoon of March 15, Bradley learned a Lorain police officer had tested positive for COVID-19, according to a Facebook post.
Upon hearing this information, Bradley convened a meeting with all city of Lorain department heads as well as executive elected officials to discuss the next steps necessary to protect the citizens of Lorain and the city’s workforce and minimize the effects of community spread.
It was determined that the officer was active in the building on multiple floors; therefore city leadership felt it necessary to close the building to the public, the post said.
Bradley and the administration did not identify the officer involved.
He also instructed all city employees to stay home if they are exhibiting any COVID-19 symptoms.
Council canceled
Lorain City Council President Joel Arredondo canceled the Council regular meeting of March 16.
The notice prompted a number of email responses from Council members asking about the city 2020 budget, which by law must be in place by the end of March.
Council likely will meet March 23 with attendance limited to members.
Their deliberations will be broadcast online, Arredondo said, and details will be announced this week.
Utilities Department
Lorain Utilities Department staff are working to reconnect residences that have shut off water service.
That allows people to maintain good hygiene and slow the spread of COVID-19, Upton said.
It was unclear exactly how many residences in the city had the water turned off due to unpaid bills.
The number could reach a couple hundred, but some residents also might have moved or paid the bills so service was restored.
Additionally, the utilities office is closed to the public and only will accept payments online and through the drop off box located on the exterior of the buildings.
Bradley also is waiving all late payment penalties associated with the March billing period.
No interior inspections
The Building Housing and Planning Department will not conduct any interior inspections of any building in the city of Lorain (with limited exceptions).
All exterior inspections will continue as scheduled.
Work from home
The city IT department is
working to implement the Virtual Private Network infrastructure necessary for city employees to work from home in the event they need to self-quarantine.
The mayor will work with Council to draft legislation to ensure that any employee affected by COVID-19 will have access to paid leave.
“It is important to me that our employees have access to paid leave to weather the storm of the COVID-19 crisis,” Bradley’s post said. “The governor has ordered schools to shut down and he may also order day-care facilities to shut down as well.
“This puts an incredible strain on our workforce and I want to ensure them that they will be taken care of in the event that they need to stay home and care for their children.
“While the (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) has said that children are not at a higher risk for COVID-19, our seniors are. I know that many of our workers rely on grandparents to look after children and our elderly are the most vulnerable.
“So again, in order to prevent the spread of this virus, I want to make the resources available to our workers so that they can look after their children and insulate our seniors from additional exposure.”
Also, the city’s Utilities Department will work to restore service to all individuals who have had their water disconnected in order to allow individuals to practice good hygiene and prevent community spread.
Closures effective immediately
• Lorain City Treasurer’s Office is closed to the public and only will accept tax returns through the mail, over the phone and through the drop box located at the front entrance.
• Lorain Municipal Court is closed. Anyone who has a civil or criminal case already set during that time will receive a new court date. Residents will be notified by mail at their last known address, and can view their new court date on the court’s website www. cityoflorain.org/219/LorainMunicipal-Court or contact the Lorain Municipal Court at courtinfo@cityoflorain. org.