A number of public services will be closed or offer restricted services this week.
According to posts on the city of Picayune and city of Poplarville’s Facebook pages, both municipalities are closing the lobby of their respective city halls.
Both facilities will be manned, but will only accept bill payments through the drive-thru.
Poplarville reports the closure will last until, “further notice,” while Picayune’s post simply states the closure will start on March 16.
Picayune’s City Council has cancelled the planned meeting for 5 p.m. on March 17, while Poplarville’s Board of Aldermen plan to still hold its meeting on the same day and time.
“We will abide by the Open Meetings Act, however, we recommend that the public stay home. If you plan to attend, be prepared to answer a screening questionnaire at the door before entering the boardroom,” the post states.
Requests for party or event permits from the Board of Aldermen for Poplarville’s City Park or Town Green will not be accepted at this time.
Within the city of Picayune, city personnel will still be providing services as usual, including the Municipal Court.
Both entities suggest following guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and the Mississippi State Department of Health in regard to COVID-19.
Concerning whether the city will ask businesses to close, the city of Picayune issued the following statement via the Facebook post. “The Mayor and Council do not make decisions for individual businesses. Any determination of business hours or business practices is solely at the discretion of the individual business. They are doing their part with preventive measures and anticipate remaining open. We ask that you please continue to support Picayune businesses and shop locally!” the post states.
The administration of the Senior Center of South Pearl River County has indicated that the facility will be closed for the next two weeks.
All three school districts within Pearl River County, including the Picayune School District, Poplarville School District and Pearl River County School District are closed this week.
As of Monday morning, the MSDH reports a total of 10 presumptive and confirmed cases of COVID-19 within Mississippi, including two in Pearl River County, two in Copiah County, two in Hinds County, three in Forrest County, and one in Leflore County.