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Stafford County to close facilities to the public due to rising COVID-19 cases

by | Dec 18, 2020 | Government

Stafford County officials have decided to close County buildings to the public, effective Monday, December 21, 2020 through January 15, 2021. The move comes with the increasing number of COVID-19 positive cases across Stafford and the region, along with rising concerns from the Rappahannock Area Health District and Mary Washington Healthcare System.

The safety of the public and county employees is of paramount importance, and the closing will help slow the spread of the virus in Stafford County. Stafford County will continue operating and providing services to residents online, by phone and for some, by appointment.

“With the holidays approaching and the obvious results from the Thanksgiving holiday, it is prudent that we take measures to protect the public and our staff,” said County Administrator Fred Presley. “Again, our services are accessible online, staff available by phone, and for those truly in need by appointment.”

Stafford County outdoor parks are open with regular operating hours. Indoor recreation facilities are open in accordance with capacity restrictions identified in Governor of Virginia Executive Order #72. However, all participants must pre-register for programs as required by Stafford County’s appointment protocol. More information may be found at www.staffordparks.com. Early voting will proceed as planned for upcoming local elections, please visit www.staffordcountyva.gov/registrar for more information from the Voter Registrar’s office.

Online Services

Residents may access services online in several ways on Stafford’s website (www.staffordcountyva.gov):

Phone Services

Stafford County is always standing by, ready to answer phone calls at (540) 658-8600. If you need specific support or need to request an appointment, please contact the department directly.

  • Commissioner of the Revenue: 540-658-4132
  • Courts –
    1. Circuit Court:   540-658-8750
    2. General District Court: 540-658-8935
    3. Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court: 540-658-8778
  • Economic Development: 540-658-8681
  • Fire and Rescue: 540-658-7200
  • Human Resources: 540-658-8628
  • Human Services: 540-658-4622
  • Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities: 540-658-4814
  • Planning and Zoning: 540-658-8668
  • Public Works:
    1. Water/Sewer Customer Service: 540-658-8616
    2. Permits and Inspections: 540-658-8650
  • Rappahannock Regional Landfill (R-Board): 540-658-5279
  • Sheriff’s Office: 540-658-4400
  • Social Services: 540-658-8720
  • Treasurer: 540-658-8700
  • Voter Registrar 540-658-4000

By Appointment 

Please make sure to adhere to the following conditions before coming into a County facility for a scheduled appointment:

  • Masks are required within all County Facilities
  • Call the department directly to make an appointment to conduct business.
  • Please review the list of questions before arriving for your appointment.
    1. Questions:
      • Have you experienced any COVID-19 symptoms in the past 48 hours?
      • Within the past 14 days, have you been in close physical contact (6 feet or closer for a cumulative total of 15 minutes) with anyone known to have COVID-19 or anyone who has any symptoms consistent with COVID-19?
      • Are you currently waiting on the results of a COVID-19 test?
    2. If you answer yes to any of the questions listed, you should reschedule your appointment.
  • Upon arrival at the facility, contact the department to enter for your appointment.

Courts

By court order, the Clerk’s office will be closed to the public effective December 17, 2020, to reduce the number of people coming into the courthouse and thereby curtail person-to-person contact. This action is due to the rising number of positive COVID-19 tests in Stafford and among courthouse personnel and local attorneys.   The Court finds this constitutes a threat to the health and safety of the Clerk’s office personnel and the general public.

R-Board (Landfill)

Currently, there are no changes to the Landfill’s operating schedule, but please make sure to check www.r-board.org. If you need assistance, please contact the Landfill administration offices by calling 540-658-5279.

Stafford County continues to reassess the evolving situation daily and will provide updates to the community to include notifying the public if there are any changes to these procedures before January 15. For more information on COVID-19, please visit Stafford’s Coronavirus Central Information page (www.staffordcountyva.gov/coronavirus) with links to local, state and federal authorities.

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