Municipal offices slowly reopening across Cape Breton

Municipal offices are slowly reopening across Cape Breton in the aftermath of COVID-19.

Cape Breton Regional Municipality staff are back inside city hall in Sydney after more than two months working from home, but it'll be a couple more weeks before the public will be allowed in.

CBRM's chief administrative officer, Marie Walsh, said more than 100 employees work in the building and a lot of changes had to be made before they could return.

"We did meet with staff virtually before we brought them back, just to get a list of any concerns that they might have in terms of their safety," she said.

While they were out, a second door was added to the lunchroom to create an entrance and an exit, and one set of stairs was designated for going up and another set marked for going down.

Walsh said among other things, plastic barriers were installed where needed, enhanced cleaning protocols have been implemented and no one shares an office space.

In the meantime, some public processes have also changed, especially when it comes to paying for services.

"We're going to be doing a better job of making things available online," said Walsh.

"There were things that really we talked about, but this has kind of forced our hand to say, 'Yeah, it makes sense to do that on a go-forward [basis],' and some things we'll be keeping."

For example, she saidonline meetings during the pandemic worked well.

"We've saved lots of money on travel, because as you know we travel to Halifax for meetings quite a bit, more than they would be coming down here ... so I would say some of that will continue, in terms of having Zoom or [Microsoft] Teams meetings."

Walsh said some work still needs to be done tothe entrances before the public will be allowed back in.

Staff returned to city hall on June 8 and Walsh said the target for reopening to the public is July 2.

What other municipalities are doing

Staff have been back in Victoria County's office in Baddeck since June 1.

The building is open to the public, but CAO Leanne MacEachen said people coming in to pay their taxes are only allowed in one at a time and anyone wishing to meet with staff has to make an appointment.

The county has also installed plastic barriers and hand sanitizing stations.

Richmond County's office in Arichat opens to the public today with similar measures.

Inverness County's municipal office in Port Hood and the Port Hawkesbury Civic Centre remainclosed.

Council meetings across the province still cannot be held in person, until the minister of municipal affairs lifts a directive requiring online meetings or the state of emergency ends.

Last Friday, the province extended thestate of emergency to noon AT on June 28.

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