OPELIKA, Ala. – City of Opelika Mayor Gary Fuller and City Administrator Joey Motley, along with Human Resources Director Ruth Blessing, met today to discuss several updates regarding the COVID-19 outbreak.
As of March 17, 2020, Opelika Power Services will close the lobby and only take payments at the drive-thru window. All other buildings and departments will continue to provide services as normal until further notice. The city is taking extra precautions to sanitize doors, countertops and public facilities.
“We are not taking the COVID-19 situation lightly. We have a responsibility to our community, the people of Opelika and our employees to take all precautions necessary to keep everyone safe and healthy. We are working to limit employee exposure by decreasing in-person meetings when possible. We would also like to ask that if you have any of the COVID-19 symptoms, that you please do not enter city buildings. Please call and conduct business over the phone,” said Mayor Gary Fuller.
“We have allowed several employees with immune compromising issues to start working from home. Our goal is to continue providing essential services to our community – fire and police protection, power, solid waste and waste water collection and treatment. We understand that this is a most unusual situation, and ask that you remain calm and use good judgement when making decisions that affect you, your family and those closest to you.”
The city has a Business Continuity Plan in place and is reviewing these plans on a daily basis. City officials are staying in close contact with the Alabama Department of Public Health, the Center for Disease Control and East Alabama Medical Center and following recommended guidelines provided. City Information Technology employees have worked diligently to ensure that should employees have to work from home, computers are secure and able to access work via VPN.
Other city departments and events that have been closed/cancelled include:
• Opelika Parks and Recreation games, classes, activities and programs until re-evaluation on March 27, 2020. This includes all practices, games, group fitness classes and swim lessons. The Opelika Sportsplex will remain open, but the SportsPlex basketball gym and pool, Denson Drive Recreation Center and Covington Recreation Center will be closed until re-evaluation on March 27, 2020. The Covington preschool will remain open until further notice.
• Opelika Sportsplex employees have developed several virtual group fitness videos that are posted on the Sportsplex Facebook, Instagram and YouTube pages. We encourage you to continue your workout routine at home.
• Lewis Cooper Jr. Memorial Library will maintain regular hours and is open for materials checkout and computer use. Cooper Library has cancelled all events and activities, including scheduled offsite programming, for the next two weeks. As always, our digital resources are available to use anytime at www.cooperlibrary.com.
• All community census events have been postponed until further notice. However, we ask that you still fill out your census online, by phone or via paper when it comes in your mailbox.
For City of Opelika COVID-19 updates, please visit www.opelika-al.gov. Scroll to bottom and click COVID-19 Updates.
For any questions or guidance regarding COVID-19 please refer to the Alabama Department of Public Health http://www.alabamapublichealth.gov/infectiousdiseases/2019- coronavirus.html.