Escambia County Office Buildings To Reopen On Monday

May 3, 2020

Escambia County’s Central Office Complex, the Ernie Lee Magaha building, the Parks and Recreation Department office and West Florida Public Libraries will reopen to the public Monday and will operate at 25% capacity under the Phase 1 Plan announced by Gov. Ron DeSantis.

Here’s information on the reopening from Escambia County:

Escambia County Buildings, Offices and Enclosed Facilities

  • Services at each Escambia County government building and enclosed facility have been evaluated to determine the public’s need for access in order to conduct county business and/or to facilitate the private sector’s return to work. Common areas and lobbies should remain uncongested.
  • Public access to Escambia County government buildings and facilities will be limited based on safe distancing guidelines. Escambia County will monitor the areas of public access to ensure enough space is available to meet social distancing standards, which may result in time periods when people have to wait outside the building until enough people have exited in order to maintain the necessary space for social distancing. Such metering will be monitored based on the number of public entering and exiting the facility, if necessary. Any individual dry coughing or otherwise exhibiting symptoms similar to the CDC listed COVID-19 symptoms will not be allowed entrance to the government facility.
  • Some facilities may offer appointments only, or phone consultation for certain functions. Citizens should call the department in which services are being sought to determine if appointments are available.
  • Some Escambia County buildings or enclosed facilities normally accessible to the public require further evaluation prior to allowing re-entry to the public (for example community centers). Information regarding this process will be made available once safe operations can be determined.
  • Plexiglass or similar separation devices have been installed at many interaction points where an employee serves a member of the public. Any documents or form of payment will be exchanged at the bottom of the plexiglass. Employees will use hand sanitizer with 60% or higher alcohol content after each exchange. Employees are encouraged to use a face mask if contact with the public is within the proper social distancing boundaries or outside of the separation devices.

Escambia County Supervisor of Elections Office

  • Residents can access most services at EscambiaVotes.com, by phone at 850-595-3900, by email soe@escambiavotes.com, or by mail.
  • Voter registration and record updates are available through RegisterToVoteFlorida.gov.
  • Voter services will be available by phone Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. until 5 p.m., and document drop-off is accessible at the Palafox Street entrance to the downtown Tax Collector’s office, 213 Palafox Place.
  • Advance appointments are preferred, if in-person services are required.
    • Access to the elections office will be through the main county office building.
    • Six-foot “social distancing” is required, and the number of customers allowed in the office at a time will be limited.

Escambia County Tax Collector’s Office

  • Citizens should visit EscambiaTaxCollector.com for the most current information regarding Escambia County Tax Collector’s Office operations.

Escambia County Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller First Judicial Circuit
The MC Blanchard and Theodore Bruno Juvenile Justice Building will remain open, at this time, but have limited public access. The Clerk’s office will continue to process the following emergency court services:

  • Petitions for Dating Violence, Domestic Violence, Repeat Violence, Sexual Violence or Stalking Injunctions
  • Baker Act petitions
  • Marchman Act petitions
  • Vulnerable Adult petitions
  • Adult Protective Services petitions
  • Emergency guardianship appointment
  • Family Law and Dependency cases in which the imminent safety of children is at issue

Clerk’s Official Records, Treasury, Finance, and Clerk to the Board Offices will reopen at 25% public capacity effective Monday, May 4. Passport services remain suspended until further notice.

The following Clerk’s offices will remain closed for in-person services until further notice.

  • Traffic Office, MC Blanchard Judicial Building, 190 W. Government St.
  • Marriage Office, MC Blanchard Judicial Building, 190 W. Government St.
  • Century Courthouse office
  • The Public Records Center, 120 E. Blount St.

To make payments and access other online services, please visit our e-services page here. For further information visit escambiaclerk.com.

Escambia County Property Appraiser’s Office

  • Citizens should visit www.escpa.org for the most current information regarding Escambia County Property Appraiser’s Office operations.

West Flora Public Libraries

For more information on the West Florida Public Libraries, click here for a previous story.

NorthEscambia.com photo.

Comments

2 Responses to “Escambia County Office Buildings To Reopen On Monday”

  1. Laura B on May 3rd, 2020 9:20 pm

    As a BCC employee until May 1st, I can tell you that the County has been unable to supply masks for many of its own employees. A plexi glass “separation device” was delivered to the office where I worked only last week. Our building was locked, but every day members of the public did come in. They were there for deliveries, to do maintenance on leased equipment, or as part of the hiring process for new employees. My department did supply gloves, hand sanitizer and disinfectant cleaning products to employees. But never did we have any masks offered to us, nor were temperatures being taken. County leaders are taking the risk of contagion seriously, making sure lots more cleaning is being done, for example. But I don’t see how they could insist on the public wearing masks when many County employees themselves don’t have them. Up through my last day working, the only masks I wore were flimsy paper dust masks, or old masks I’d picked up at doctors’ offices, which I wore multiple times each. I really hope the county can supply masks to their own employees soon.

  2. pencil on May 3rd, 2020 1:49 pm

    Why aren’t citizens required to wear masks when entering county buildings?

    They are manufacturing masks so there are plenty to place at the door of every building if they don’t have their own!

    They won’t allow people exhibiting symptoms to enter buildings but we know people pass the virus the most right BEFORE they show symptoms!

Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under News