City closes all public windows but clerk’s office; courthouse protocols coming Monday
By Patrick Lynn
The County-City Building will remain open to the public, but Stevens Point city government will be closing most of its public windows until further notice.
Stevens Point
According to a press release sent by Mayor Mike Wiza late on Saturday, public offices and service windows at the parks department, assessor’s office, building inspection/city planning, Central Transportation, treasurer’s office, municipal court, personnel office, and water/wastewater department, will be closed until further notice.
Government operations, including city bus service, will go on as normal, Wiza said, and each department is still available by phone. Additional contact information is available for each department on the city’s website, https://stevenspoint.com.
The city has also suspended all non-essential travel and non-essential meetings. The March city council meeting, which is governed by state statute, will be held on March 16 at 7 p.m.
The Stevens Point Police Department will close its public lobby and service window for the next 30 days. Payments for tickets can be dropped off in the payment slot, located in the foyer of the main entrance at SPPD, 933 Michigan Ave., and anyone needing to speak to an officer directly can still use the intercom system in the foyer to reach dispatchers.
No fingerprinting services or prescription drug drop-off will be available during this time.
Anyone needing a copy of a crash report can obtain a free copy at crashdocs.org.
If you still need additional records assistance, call 715-346-1506. Records may be released by fax, email, or U.S. Mail.
Plover
No changes to public window office hours have been announced. At press, monthly meetings for the plan commission, finance committee, wastewater and utility committee, and public works committee, will continue as planned beginning at 5 p.m. on Monday, and the March village board meeting, scheduled at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, is also still planned.
Park Ridge
No plans have been announced to limit office hours. The 5 p.m. March 17 monthly board meeting is still scheduled.
Portage County
The county has opened its Emergency Operations Center (EOC) in the basement of the Law Enforcement Center, according to County Executive Chris Holman, so emergency management officials can collect and track information, and utilize one centralized hub from which to distribute information.
The Portage Co. Health Care Center has limited public access to the building. Families should call 715-346-1374 with questions.
The ADRC-Lincoln Center has canceled all senior activities and communal dining. Anyone in need of services that have been suspended should contact the ADRC directly at 715-341-1404.
Following an emergency JuncticeWorks Coalition meeting Friday, the county will also announce emergency protocols for courthouse functions. Several neighboring counties have suspended several court appearances where allowed under state law. On Friday, District Attorney Louis Molepske said Portage Co. will announce its plans sometime on Monday through Circuit Court Judge Thomas Fluguar’s office.
Voters are encouraged to cast their April 7 ballots by absentee vote. Voters can request an absentee ballot be mailed to them by going online at www.myvote.wi.gov no later than April 2.
In an email, Holman said county plans included county board consideration of a “resolution to grant temporary administrative flexibility to county leadership as we work through this situation,” but did not clarify what that meant.
Check back for updates.
