News

City restricts visits to city hall, closes Whitmire Center

By Bill Moss, Published: March 16, 2020

The city of Hendersonville is restricting visits to City Hall and other city facilities, closing the Whitmire Center and taking other precautions to combat the spread of the coronavirus. The City Council is also holding a special meeting Friday to discuss continuity of operations of city services and consider other measures.

“We are taking steps to limit the impact of this virus on our community and protect those most vulnerable,” Mayor Barbara Volk said in a news release. “These decisions are not made lightly, and our plans are in line with guidance from public health and emergency management officials. Our City continues working to ensure the continuity of government so that critical services continue without interruption.”

As of March 16, 2020, the following changes have been made in relation to COVID-19:

• All non-essential visits, including tours and facility visits, to City of Hendersonville facilities have been suspended.
• Visitor access will not be permitted at the Water Treatment and Wastewater Treatment Plants.
• Visitor access will not be permitted at Fire Station 1 and Fire Station 2. Emergency services will not be interrupted.
• Customers are encouraged to limit their in-person visits to City Hall and use phone, mail, and online options to conduct business. Contact City of Hendersonville Customer Service at (828) 697-3052, customerservice@hvlnc.gov or visit https://www.hendersonvillenc.gov/
• Water disconnects and late fees have been suspended.
• The Whitmire Center is closed to events.

The City Council will hold a special meeting at 11:30 a.m. Friday at the City Operations Center, 305 Williams St., to consider possible temporary policies to address employee telecommuting, infectious disease control, and employee leave.

Currently postponed or canceled are:

• All 2020 Walk of Fame events have been postponed
• The March 18 Historic Preservation Commission meeting has been canceled.
• The March 19 Special Events Committee meeting has been canceled.
• The March 19 Environmental Sustainability Board meeting has been canceled.

Meeting schedules will continue to be updated on the City Events Calendar. Information and additional closures will continue to be updated at www.hendersonvillnc.gov/coronavirus. The City of Hendersonville has implemented and is continuing to implement measures and policies to reduce the risk of exposure to our employees.