By Terry Witt – Spotlight Senior Reporter

            Williston city officials are restricting access to the City Hall lobby beginning Monday due to a COVID-19 outbreak among staff and family members.

            City Council President Debra Jones said customers can call to make an appointment and staff will walk out to get them and lead them back into City Hall one at a time to do their business.

            The public will be required to wear masks when they are in City Hall. The new procedure will remain in effect until further notice.

            “All you have to do is come to City Hall. You can sit right in the parking lot and call for entry. We’re just trying to control the number of people in the lobby at one time,” she said.

            Call 352-528-3060 for service. Hit option 6 on your phone dial.

            Jones said the restricted access to City Hall has resulted in pushback from members of the public weary of being unable to move about freely due to COVID-19.

            “We definitely are getting flak from the community. We had some of that last night. At the same time, they don’t understand we have positive people and we’re trying to protect the community as well as our other employees,” Jones said.

            The city had two employees test positive for COVID-19. Neither of the employees is hospitalized nor are they sick. Both are quarantined at home. The city doesn’t know if they came down with the Delta variant.

            Jones said City Council meetings will continue to be open to the public. She said the city will return to social distancing, which means fewer chairs spread farther apart in the council chambers.

            She said only two employees tested positive but they were exposed to multiple family members and other staff members, “so they have all been exposed.”

            “We’re just being safe. We’re being cautious. We don’t want people around our staff. Essentially we’re trying to protect the community as well as other staff members,” Jones said. “Those employees who are not exposed will continue to work. It’s just the lobby we’re trying to control – the number of people that came into the lobby at one time.”

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Enterprise Reporting by Terry Witt July 31, 2021; Posted July 31, 2021