Concord mayor addresses changes to city services during shelter-in-place
I write you as your Mayor and on behalf of the full Concord City Council. During these unsettling times, we must come together and do what’s best for our community as a whole. We understand that some of you may feel nervous, scared or frustrated. Rest assured that we are working hard to keep Concord safe, and that means making some changes to our daily operations.
As you know by now, Contra Costa County, along with five other Bay Area counties, has issued a shelter-in-place order from today through April 7. In order to “flatten the curve” of this growing public health crisis, we are being called to stay home and stay healthy. This means that we should only be going out to do the most essential things – shop for groceries or pharmacy items, go to medical appointments, and go to work (for those whose jobs are essential – i.e health care workers, first responders).
Beginning today, the City of Concord is implementing several changes to how we will serve our community during this unprecedented pandemic.
The City of Concord’s City Manager and Department Heads are working together to find ways of continuing to provide essential services while doing our part to limit person-to-person contact and helping to reduce the spread of this deadly virus. The team is operating under three goals during this pandemic:
- Community Safety
- Employee Safety
- Delivery of Essential Public Services
Beginning on Tuesday, March 17, the City Manager has ordered the following changes to service delivery:
All City facilities will be closed to the public, including the Civic Center Campus (administrative building, Finance, HR and the Permit Center), all Community Centers, including the Senior Center, Police Department and the Public Works office. Some essential services will still be available over the phone or online.
City Administration
The Mayor’s office and City administration building, including the City Clerk’s office, will be closed. However, staff will continue to answer phones and emails.
Call: 925-671-2489
Email: cityinfo@cityofconcord.org
City Council and Planning Commission meetings will likely continue via teleconference. Details are still being finalized and will be shared on our website soon.
Finance
The Finance office will be closed to the public, but staff will continue to answer calls and email. People may apply for business licenses online here https://renewbl.ci.concord.ca.us/
Call: 925-671-3307
Email: BL.info@cityofconcord.org
Parks & Recreation
Baldwin Park preschool is closed.
Centre Concord and its preschool is closed.
Concord Community Pool is closed.
All park playgrounds and bathrooms are closed.
The Concord Skate Park is closed.
The Concord Senior Center is closed. However, City staff will continue to facilitate the distribution of meals through the CC Café Senior Nutrition program. Meals must be ordered ahead of time. Concord’s CC-Cafe registered participants need to call 925-825-1488 and leave a message, Meals-on-Wheels Diablo Region staff will respond to those calls.
Willow Pass Community Center is closed.
All events, classes, activities and indoor/outdoor facility rentals have been cancelled through May 1.
People who visit Concord parks should adhere to the public health guidelines by maintaining social distancing of 6 feet.
Full details about facility and program closures are located at www.cityofconcord.org/covid19
Call: 925-671-3404
Email: concord.registration@cityofconcord.org
Permit Center & Building Inspections
The Permit Center will be closed to the public until further notice. We will only be able to accept new applications online or via email at this time. People are welcome to research zoning and permit requirements through the City’s online portal, Permit Pal: https://permitpal.cityofconcord.org/and Staff will continue to answer phones and emails.
Call: 925-671-3152
Email: zoning@cityofconcord.org
At this time, the City will perform limited building inspections for occupied residential permits; please contact us for more information. For occupied commercial spaces, building inspectors will only perform essential inspections on exterior type of projects, new buildings and unoccupied improvements. Emergency inspections performed as deemed necessary by the Chief Building Official.
Call: 925-671-3107
Email: inspectors@cityofconcord.org
Police Department
Public safety remains a top priority. The Police Department’s community service desk and the records department will be closed to the public. However, people can still receive service by phone and email.
When calling dispatch, you may be asked a series of questions to assess exposure risk. These questions will allow our officers to utilize the proper personal protective equipment to prevent the spread of COVID-19. When appropriate, reports may be taken over the phone to avoid unnecessary contact. If there is an emergency, we will continue to respond in the same expeditious manner necessary to protect lives and property.
Call: 925-671-3220
Email: contactcpd@cityofconcord.org
Public Works
The Public Works office is closed, but our crews will be working throughout the community to continue essential maintenance efforts, including pothole repair, graffiti removal, sewer cleaning, streetlight repair, and more.
Please report any problems through the Concord Connect app: http://www.cityofconcord.org/199/Concord-Connect—Mobile-App
Call: 925-671-3448
Email: public.works@cityofconcord.org
The City continues to monitor the COVID-19 situation and we will keep our community updated as things evolve. For updates about this evolving situation, please visit our website: www.cityofconcord.org/COVID19.
Please also check Contra Costa Health Service’s website for the latest information about public health guidelines: https://www.contracostahealth.org/
Thank you for your patience and understanding during this uncertain time. Together, we can help stop the spread of this virus and save lives.