Majority Of Town Hall Will Be Off Limits To The Public
The Town of Benson Board of Commissioners has declared a State of Emergency due to the threat of COVID-19 (Coronavirus) following an emergency meeting held this evening (Monday) at Town Hall.
The Board approved a resolution declaring the State of Emergency will be in effect from 6:30pm Monday, March 16th and shall remain in effect until rescinded.
This will also allow the Town Manager and the Police Chief to augment building access, implement safety measures, and institute a curfew if necessary in relation to keeping staff and residents safe from the spread of the virus.
In addition, Commissioners also approved a motion to suspend all utility cut-offs during the ongoing 30-day closure period that began on Friday, March 13th to further ensure the safety and well-being of Benson residents during this time. If you need to discuss your utility bill or have an issue with payment during this time, please call Benson Town Hall at 919-894-3553 and ask to speak with a customer service representative.
Currently, there are no reported cases of COVID-19 in Benson, but due to reports of the virus in neighboring areas, Benson Commissioners felt compelled to take every available measure to ensure the safety of town employees and residents.
At this time, Benson Town Hall remains open and operating on normal business hours (8:30am – 5pm). However, the majority of the building is closed to the public. Residents can still use the main door, go up the stairs, and pay utility bills. The main hallway offices, Planning office, and downstairs offices are closed and locked.
On March 13th, the Town of Benson announced all after-hours events at Parks & Recreation, WJ Barefoot Auditorium, Lee Street Gymnasium, Town Hall Conference Center facilities,and Singing Grove will be postponed or canceled for 30 days. The Benson Museum is also closed for the next 30 days, as is the Mary Duncan Public Library.
Over the course of the next 30 days, the Town of Benson will continue to monitor the COVID-19 situation locally and adjust plans as needed.
