IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Closures and Precautions in Response to COVID-19 (Coronavirus)
For Immediate Release
Closures and Precautions in Response to COVID-19 (Coronavirus)
Algoma, Wisconsin – The City of Algoma and several other public service entities within the community are taking precautions in order to help prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus (Coronavirus) in order to protect the welfare and public health of our community. Below are the precautions being taken by the City of Algoma, as well as other public service entities within the community.
City of Algoma: City Hall will remain open during the standard business hours of 8 AM to 4 PM. To the greatest extent possible, residents and customers are asked to conduct business either over the phone or online, and restrict their in-office business to only those items which are absolutely necessary. The Youth Center will be closed to the public in order to match the actions currently being taken by the Department of Education. Said City Administrator Jared Heyn, “We are following the lead of the Department of Education and closing our Youth Center during the same time period of the school shutdown.” Continued Heyn, “We recognize the need to restrict large public gatherings for the safety of our entire community and will re-assess the situation following guidance from the State and Governor’s Office.”
In response to the ongoing shortage of household items – such as toilet paper – at area retailers, residents are asked to flush only the appropriate materials when using the restroom. Only biodegradable materials, such as toilet paper, can be processed by the wastewater treatment plant. Other materials, such as cloth or so-called “flushable” wipes are not biodegradable and cannot be processed by the wastewater treatment plant.
Algoma Med Center/Long Term Care Unit: The Algoma Med Center/Long Term Care Unit is entering a lockdown effective immediately. The lockdown is restricting all visits to the facility in accordance with the guidance received from the Center for Disease Control. Residents and visitors are encouraged to contact the Long Term Care Unit directly for more details.
Algoma Public Library: In response to COVID-19 and in an effort to help control spread of the virus, the Algoma Public Library is enacting the following plan, effective Tuesday, March 17.
• The Library will be CLOSED until April 6th or it is deemed safe to reopen. We are monitoring the situation on a daily basis, and will keep the public updated via our website and social media.
• All Library programs are cancelled until further notice.
• Staff will be available this week to answer your questions via phone and email Tuesday-Friday from 9am – 4pm.
• Any OVERDUE FINES incurred on your library materials will be WAIVED when they are returned after we reopen.
• We urge patrons to practice safe procedures and to take advantage of the many online resources. Online resources include Wisconsin's Digital Library, (OverDrive eBooks & Audiobooks) , TumbleBook Library for younger kids, and BadgerLink, for a variety of magazine and newspaper databases. Visit our website (https://www.algomapubliclibrary.org/) for more information.
This was not an easy decision to make and we appreciate your understanding during this time. We are monitoring the situation closely and will provide updates as needed. The safety and well-being of our patrons, staff and community are of the utmost importance to us.
Sincerely,
Algoma Public Library Staff