We’re Open… In-Person and Online!
On Monday, March 16, 2020, city buildings closed their doors in response to growing concerns about Covid-19. What we thought might last a week or maybe a month became many months. During that time, our physical buildings were closed but our services to the community continued—they just looked different.
For library lovers, our Library team created an outdoor Library Take-Out Service for you to pick up books. The team also built a YouTube channel to entertain toddlers with story time and kids and adults with crafting activities.
For adventure seekers, our Recreation team moved from large-scale offerings to creative, do-it-yourself events like the Pumpkin Scavenger Hunt and Egg Hunt.
For more routine needs, our team transitioned services from in-person to online. Utility Billing, for example, ensured that all services were available over the phone and virtually. Our team also continued work to complete permits, planning applications, and design reviews online, via email, and over the phone.
Your Council needed to continue to hear from you in the last 17 months. To hear your voices, we hosted a bi-monthly conversation on Facebook. For the less digitally inclined, we talked to community members on the phone, via email, and in-person in socially distanced manners. These efforts resulted in the Council hearing from an average of 1,523 community voices each month.
Thank you for embracing our new way of working and connecting during Covid-19. We heard your feedback about what worked and what did not. Your input helped develop our reopening plan.
You will see our reopening plan in action when all city buildings open their doors on Monday, August 9th. Reopening city buildings is more than a symbolic step. It is vital to providing access for community members who lack internet connections or who prefer in-person interactions.
So, here is what you can expect:
City Hall will be open Mondays—Thursdays from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. This includes Municipal Court and Utility Billing teammates who will be available to answer your questions in-person.
The Library will continue to be open Mondays—Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and on Sundays from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. I am excited to share that the Library will return to pre-pandemic hours on Tuesday, September 7.
The Permit Center will maintain the same hours as City Hall. Teammates will be available to help with permits, planning applications, and design reviews.
The Police Department will be open every day from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. We have installed a kiosk in the lobby, where you can make an online police report, pay a photo traffic ticket, or make a utility bill payment.
Public Works will be open Monday-Thursday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. to take your applications and reservations for recreation programs, picnic shelters, sport fields, and special events.
We reopen our doors while acknowledging that the pandemic is not over. You can help defeat Covid-19 by getting vaccinated and encouraging your friends and family to do the same.
Note: The city’s reopening plans are subject to change based on the latest recommendations from the CDC and Oregon Health Authority. Visit the city’s website at www.tigard-or.gov for the current status.
