HARRISBURG, Pa. — Harrisburg mayor Eric Papenfuse has declared a disaster emergency in the city and ordered the closing of the MLK City Government Center, Public Works Building, and Reservoir Parks Mansion to the public until further notice, his office announced Monday.
The closures will go into effect beginning Tuesday. The City of Harrisburg will maintain essential functions and services despite the closings, Papenfuse said in a press release.
To submit a service request or report an issue, the City of Harrisburg recommends emailing info@harrisburgpa.gov or using the website form for submitting service requests and reporting issues. The online form is available at harrisburgpa.gov/support.
The City 311 Helpdesk will continue to be in operation, providing a way for the public to submit requests for various City services. To reach the operator regarding support ticket inquiries, please call 3-1-1 (if calling from within the City) or 717-255-3040.
For City business related to bill paying, permitting, Treasury, or other inquiries, the public can use the drop box at the rear of the MLK City Government Center to submit items, Papenfuse's office said. The deadline for residential parking permits has been extended through the end of April.
City employees will be continuing to perform their duties during the building closure, and this includes telecommuting and working remotely for those able to do so. The City is closely monitoring the status of coronavirus locally to determine when City buildings can be safely re-opened to the public.
At this time, there are no presumed or confirmed cases of coronavirus in Harrisburg.
“We are all in this together,” said Papenfuse. “I encourage the community to adhere to Governor Wolf’s directives and use precautions to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. Our top priority is the health and safety of our residents, especially the elderly and most vulnerable. We appreciate everyone’s patience and understanding during this disaster emergency.”
The City Council Work Session scheduled for Tuesday, March 17 has been canceled.
