Des Moines City Extends Closures To March 1, 2021

Des Moines IA

05 January, 2021

3:15 PM

Description

Press release from the City of Des Moines: January 5, 2021 DES MOINES, IOWA – Tuesday, January 5, 2021 – City Manager Scott Sanders today announced that due to the ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the City of Des Moines will keep its administration buildings closed to the public until March 1. The buildings were scheduled to reopen on Feb. 1. The extension by Sanders adheres to the guidelines established in Mayor Frank Cownie's emergency proclamation that closed City buildings nearly 10 months ago on March 17, 2020. Iowa today reported 286,677 positive cases statewide with 3,992 deaths. Polk County recorded the most cases with 42,188 and 419 deaths. "Our local health experts tell us that the coming weeks and months could be the most challenging of the entire pandemic and that's why we want to extend our closure by at least another month," Mayor Cownie said. "We will closely monitor our local infection rates over the next month and then determine if there's an opportunity to schedule limited meetings in our buildings in early spring." The extended closure includes the City Hall, Armory, Municipal Service Center, and Public Works buildings, the Des Moines Wastewater Reclamation Authority (WRA) and the office location for the Civil & Human Rights Department. If you have questions about City permits, licenses, or fines, you're encouraged to call the City Clerk's office at (515) 283-4209 during business hours. To find updates on City services and programs, please go to DSM.city/COVID19. This press release was produced by the City of Des Moines. The views expressed here are the author's own.