Manhattan City Hall and city facilities will close to the public in response to COVID-19 effective Thursday, March 19.
City officials made the announcement via release Thursday afternoon, noting the closures will be in place until April 6th at the earliest. All city and advisory board meetings will be held online via Zoom and broadcast on Cox cable channel 3, cityofmhk.com/tv or on the city’s Facebook page.
“Circumstances are changing rapidly, so it is important that we continue to take precautionary measures to protect the health and safety of our residents and employees,” says City Manager Ron Fehr. “While we know this changes the way we do business, critical services will still be provided to the community. It is important that we do our part to slow the spread of this virus.”
City facilities remaining open include Manhattan Regional Airport and T. Russell Reitz Animal Shelter — though surrenders and recoveries of lost pets and other interactions with the public will be by appointment only.
Essential staff will continue to report to work to provide emergency and necessary city operations, though protocols and policies will be in place to limit exposure. Other personnel will work remotely and be available by phone and email during regular business hours.
Officials ask residents to be patient as a result of limited and remote staffing situations.
City Information:
“Information about City of Manhattan services and facilities is available online at www.cityofmhk.com/coronavirus or by calling 785-587-2480.
Municipal Court
For information about the Municipal Court, go to www.cityofmhk.com/coronavirus or call Municipal Court at (785) 587-2450 during business hours.
Utility Payments
During the City Hall closure, water utility customers have several ways to pay their bills. Here are the payment options:
- Pay online (directions are outlined in your water bill received via mail or e-mail)
- Pay over the phone with a card by calling 785-587-2480
- Leave check payment in drop box at City Hall (south parking lot)
New customers can sign up for water service online by visiting https://cityofmhk.com/2520/
The City will not turn off anyone’s water service due to inability to pay during this period.
Coronavirus Information
If you think you may have symptoms of, or been around someone who has been diagnosed with, COVID-19, call the COVID-19 Screening Line at 785-323-6400 to speak with a medical professional about the next steps, which may include further evaluation for illness.
