Haywood County implements proactive measures for its government buildings

Press release from Haywood County:

[NOTE WELL: this guidance is not applicable to the Haywood County Justice Center, whose operation is managed by the North Carolina court system. It also doesn’t apply to the Haywood County Election Board, which is managing access under the rules of the NC State Election Board.]

Haywood County has implemented the following proactive measures for its government buildings, effective 5:00 p.m., Thursday, March 19, 2020. The purpose is to limit further transmission of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19).

1. Essential Services (law enforcement, fire, EMS, 911, Health and Human Services) will operate as usual. Convenience centers, the landfill, and the recycling center will operate as usual.

2. Electronic services for county functions will operate as usual. A visit to the county website will show phone numbers and contact information for all county departments (a list is attached to this press release). The county website is www.haywoodcountync.gov.

3. In-person access to county offices will be limited and reorganized. In essence, if your access question isn’t answered by this information, then call before you come to get an appointment for your visit, and THEN come to the county building at your scheduled time.

4. Here are the details:
– Individuals can only enter the County Offices if they have an appointment. Call the department you need to visit to get an appointment. This will cut down on in-person contacts, which can spread the virus.
– If you need to make a county property tax payment and can’t make that payment online, then call the tax collector to get an appointment (828-452-6643, then press 2 for direct access). You will then come to the county offices at your appointment time. Remember that you can always mail your check (215 N. Main Street, Ste. 224, Waynesville NC 28786), pay through the website online (www.haywoodcountync.gov, then “Taxes,” then “View/pay taxes online”), or call to pay over the phone (1-877-729-8290) (convenience fee applies to credit-card payments).
– All septic, well, building, and erosion-control permits will be issued electronically.
– All water samples and building plans (which cannot be submitted electronically) can be brought to the appropriate County building after getting an appointment over the phone.

If you have symptoms such as fever, coughing or difficulty breathing or have been to an affected area in the last 14 days or have had close contact with either a confirmed or probable case of COVID-19 then do not enter County facilities.