Thursday, December 17, 2020

City, township offices are closed to public

Northville Township officials have closed all public entrances to municipal buildings - except by appointment  because of the COVID-19 pandemic and the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services Gatherings and Face Mask Order. 

“Our staff remains committed to providing our residents with the most efficient services possible; we continue to work inside. At township hall, you may use our Drive-Thru, Drop Box or make a payment online at www.twp.northville.mi.us/Pay. Building permits may be dropped off in the Drive-Thru, emailed or completed online. Residents may conduct business over the telephone or U.S. mail, too. Our main line is (248) 348-5800,” noted an official statement from the township offices. 

Emergency crews and first responders will remain on duty 24/7, but both the police and fire department headquarters are closed to the public. The Community Center, Youth Network and Recreation Center at Hillside are closed. 

Parks and Recreation programming will be postponed except Senior Yoga, Toddler Yoga, Kids Power Karate and Youth Dance which will move to a virtual format. Senior transportation will continue. Liquid nutrition pickup and the medical loan equipment program will continue by appointment only.

“This action is to protect the public and keep our workforce safe. We understand this move will be disruptive for many. One key factor in this decision is Wayne County, “has seen a 115 percent increase in cases, 140 percent increase in deaths and 114 percent increase in hospitalizations in a 14-day period ending Nov. 13,” officials said. 

As the Dec. 20 deadline of the latest order approaches, the situation will be monitored and any changes according to the prepared announcement.

Northville City Hall is open by appointment only.

Residents can use the drop box at the circular drive and in the vestibule for any payments or business that can't be completed online, officials said.and cautioned residents not to include cash when making payments. Those who must pay cash should call to schedule an appointment. 

The temporary closure of city hall to citizens will be re-evaluated on a weekly basis, based on State COVID-19 restrictions and how the pandemic is impacting the Northville community. 

Most staff will be working remotely. There will be some staff in the office during regular business hours to fulfill requests made by appointment, such as providing documents, accepting cash payments, and offering other services that can't be done online or through the drop box, officials said.

The public can visit the Northville COVID-19 page for news and updates about city services. 

For more information, residents can call (248) 449-9905 or send an email to info@ci.northville.mi.us. The main number is (248) 349-1300. For department emails, view the directory. More updates are available on  twitter and Facebook. Emergency notifications from Nixle will also be posted to Facebook. To sign up for this free service, visit the Nixle website, officials advised.