Westport municipal offices — including Town Hall, the Senior Center and the Parks & Recreation Department office — will remain closed to the public at least through March 31. Public meetings are canceled through at least that date too.
However, staff will be available by phone or email weekdays, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. First Selectman Jim Marpe urges residents to be patient regarding response time.
He adds, “The public is also encouraged to utilize the town’s online services, such as paying taxes electronically.” The town’s website is www.westportct.gov.
Town Hall is closed. However, employees will be available by phone and email. (Photo/Lynn U. Miller)
State Representative Jonathan Steinberg reports that Governor Ned Lamont is launching a Joint Information Center to coordinate Connecticut’s response to COVID-19.
The goal is to provide residents, municipalities, school districts, hospitals, medical providers, colleges and universities, the business community, the media and others with specific information related to the state’s response to the virus outbreak..
- The JIC can be contacted 24/7 by calling 860-754-8342 or emailing COVID19.JIC@ct.gov
- Information from the JIC will be shared on Twitter at @COVID19CT and Facebook at CT COVID-19 Response.
There are many ways to stay up-to-date about COVID-19:
- CT-N carries the Governor’s press conferences (with sign language)
- Call 211 24/7 with questions about COVID-19
- Text CTCOVID to 898211 for updates
- Smart Speaker: Ask for the 411 Coronavirus podcast
- For the blind without TTY capabilities, the CDC and national news updates are shared through the TuneInCOVIDUpdates podcast
Here are resources for small business owners:
- CDC Guidance for Businesses and Employers Impacted by Coronavirus
- SBA Guidance for Businesses and Employers Impacted by Coronavirus
- SBA Low-Interest Loans to Help Small Businesses Affected by Disasters
- The SBA is currently finalizing disaster declarations related to coronavirus. Once these are released, small businesses can apply. Check the website daily to see if/when Connecticut will be eligible, and/or call the CT SBA Office at 860-240-4700)
- DECD Guidance for Businesses Impacted by Coronavirus
Note also:
- The state Insurance Department commissioner told all travel insurers that they should accommodate travel cancellation requests and take into account the circumstances of the state of emergency.
- State civil statutes prohibit price gouging. The attorney general will be monitoring closely. If you suspect price gouging, file a complaint immediately with the Attorney General’s Office by calling 860-808-5318.
- Eversource has suspended all disconnects for customers until the governor lifts the state of emergency. This applies to electric, gas and water companies that are not municipally owned.
Hey Dan-
Any plans to do a piece on the local restaurants? How they are handling this crisis and what they are doing to make it safe for patrons? My family is worried about local businesses surviving this period and would like to be supportive but we are also worried about our own safety and wonder if it is ok to eat out.
Let me know what you think.
Great question. There are no easy answers. I have heard from the Boathouse and Pearl that they will bring your takeout order to your car if you don’t want to go inside (10% discount for takeout at Pearl). Rizzuto’s has curbside takeout, and will deliver to a spot you designate for pickup. Mystic Market, Pearl and Rizzuto’s have talked to me about how much they are cleaning. I am working on a piece.
You did see the story earlier today about the Chamber of Commerce and their push for restaurant takeout, right? And their suggestion of buying gift cards to provide money now, and meals later, right?
Thanks for asking.
And yet your schools are planning to re-open on March 26. Not sure what kind of coordination is happening here.
While we wait for the results from the tests on the 40 who attended the party on March 5… do we know anything about how the one person in Westport who has tested positive contracted Coronavirus?
”We were able to order 2 state of the art ventilators (sizes for children and adults) that will be shipped on 4/15/2020. We will donate them to Hospitals in Fairfield County ( Norwalk Hospital, Danbury Hospital, and Bridgeport Hospital).“
https://www.gofundme.com/f/westport-ventilators-for-covid-patients?utm_source=customer&utm_medium=sms&utm_campaign=p_cp+share-sheet