PAWTUCKET CITY HALL CLOSED TO PUBLIC
City of Pawtucket to Temporarily Close to Public Amid COVID-19 Pandemic
Mayor Grebien Signs Executive Order until Further Notice
Pawtucket – The City of Pawtucket has announced that, in an effort to minimize the risk of spreading the Coronavirus (COVID-19), City Hall will be closed to the public until further notice. Mayor Donald R. Grebien also signed an Executive Order today to be implemented until further notice in response to the pandemic.
Residents and businesses can contact City Hall Departments during hours of operation by calling City Hall and its employees at 401-728-0500. A drop box will also be available at City Hall.
“With COVID-19 cases rising in our City, we need to ensure that our hardworking municipal employees and residents are safe and healthy,” said Mayor Donald R. Grebien. “The closure to the public is temporary and we hope to get services back up and running as soon as possible. We continue to encourage our residents to safely and securely use the online and mail services that are available on the Pawtucket website. Thank you to the community for the patience, support and understanding as we get through this together.”
The Executive Order includes the following additions to the first two Executive Orders.
As of Monday, April 6, City Hall and non-Public Safety buildings for the City will be closed to the public until further notice. Residents and businesses can contact City Hall Departments during hours of operation by calling City Hall and its employees at 401-728-0500. A drop box will also be available at City Hall.
The City of Pawtucket will be closing all City parks and recreation facilities until further notice in concert with the State Park and Beach closure by Governor Raimondo.
The Grebien administration and the Pawtucket City Council announce that tax rates for the upcoming fiscal year billing cycle will be held flat at this year’s rates for both residential and commercial property. This no-tax-increase budget commitment comes as more and more coronavirus-related restrictions get imposed on businesses and unemployment claims are skyrocketing.
The Grebien administration and the Pawtucket City Council announced a new emergency loan program, created by the City’s Pawtucket Business Development Corporation (PBDC), and other tools that provide interim relief to small Pawtucket-based businesses with twenty-five (25) or fewer employees, who can demonstrate a loss of revenue caused by the virus crisis. The loan can be used to pay operating expenses for day to day business operations which include but are not limited to payroll and rent.
Mayor Grebien also addressed the announcement to commit to hold the line on taxes for the upcoming fiscal year. “These are hard times for everyone. We’re all in this together though. We want to provide some level of certainty in these uncertain times for our taxpayers. Therefore, the City of Pawtucket has committed to holding the line on property taxes this July,” said Mayor Grebien.
“As people are closing their businesses and losing their jobs, we know the last thing anyone wants to worry about is how they’re going to deal with their property tax bills going up. As our residents’ finances get tighter so should the City’s.
We cannot turn around and ask families in Pawtucket to sacrifice more than necessary. The Administration and City Council will continue to prioritize fiscal responsibility and focus on our taxpayers’ ability to pay.”
For information regarding how the City may assist your business during the COVID 19 Emergency, please visit http://www.pawtucketri.com/business-pawtucket.
The City asks that residents continue to do their part to minimize all risks by taking the proper precautions, including:
Practicing social distancing,
Staying away from crowds of more than 5 people,
Washing your hands constantly with soap and water, and
Staying home if you are sick until you are fully healthy.
For more information about COVID-19, please visit health.ri.gov/covid or call the R.I. Department of Health at 401-222-8022. You can also visit www.pawtucketri.com.