COVID-19 Response Revised 3-18-20
Revision date: 3/18/20 12:00pm
The Town of Bolton will be taking additional precautionary measures to control the spread of the 2019 Coronavirus (COVID-19) in our community.
Town Hall
The Town Hall will be closed to the public until April 6th, 2020. While our doors will be closed, we will remain dedicated to serving the public by phone or through use of the after hours drop box located to the right of the door at the rear of the building. Department contacts will be posted at the door for your convenience. Only paid employees of the Town of Bolton are allowed to access the Town Hall during this time. Anyone else who is in possession of a key to the Town Hall is not to enter.
Public Meetings
The Town will utilize Zoom Video Communications for remote conferencing services to allow for remote access to public meetings. This tool will allow Board and Committee members and residents to view and participate in public meetings during the closures.
Meetings can be accessed from your personal computer, cellphone or telephone. Zoom has recording capability which will allow for Bolton Access Television to continue to broadcast meetings. You will find the access numbers and web addresses for each meeting on the town calendar on the homepage of our website, townofbolton.com.
The Town of Bolton values your civic participation as a vital part of our community. We are truly excited by this new technology to assist us in perpetuating that civic involvement during the ongoing public health emergency.
Use of Public Meeting Rooms
The Town of Bolton is temporarily suspending the use of indoor Town space by outside groups. This applies to all previously scheduled outside groups. Thank you for your understanding.
Parks and Recreation
Town owned playgrounds will be closed until further notice. Athletic fields are closed to group gatherings and sporting activities. Our parks will remain open and residents are encouraged to continue using public, open spaces with their families while practicing the CDC guidelines for social distancing and hygiene.
Bolton Senior Center
All Senior Center programs and events have been postponed until further notice. However, we are still delivering Meals On Wheels and providing van transportation for medical appointments. If you have any questions or concerns, please call the Council On Aging office at 978-779-3313 or email ldeon@townofbolton.com until further notice.
Bolton Public Library
The Bolton Public Library will be closed to the public until April 7th, 2020. Staff will be available by phone Monday – Friday, 9am – 5pm. Downloadable materials will be available 24-7. Out of a sense of caution and concern for our community, and considering the unknown risks around transmission of COVID-19 via library materials such as books and DVDs, the Board of Library Trustees voted on 3/17/20 to suspend curbside pickup of materials and also to lock the book return, effective immediately.
Library users are encouraged to hold onto any library materials in their possession until further notice.
No overdue fines will be imposed for materials held during the current crisis. Fees may apply should materials be returned in damaged condition.
Library users are also reminded as follows:
• downloadable materials are always available via our website at http://www.boltonpubliclibrary.org
• The Library staff will answer phones and emails from 9-5 Monday through Friday (library@townofbolton.com and 978-779-2839).
• We have posted a growing list of educational, informative diversions on the library website. Look for the COVID-19 tab in the upper right-hand corner.
• Finally, any Massachusetts resident can apply online for a Boston Public Library e-card, which gives access to even more materials including music and movies.
Wifi can be used outside the building.
Department of Public Works
The Department of Public Works buildings will be closed to the public. At this time, the transfer station will remain open for its regularly scheduled hours of operation. As of this time the Bolton Transfer Station will continue to observe our normal hours of operation.
The Town of Bolton respectfully asks that the recycling containers be utilized without assistance from attendants at this time. If this is not possible, we ask that residents hold your recycling materials at home.
For the health and safety of both our residents and our employees, we ask that you observe Social Distancing norms and maintain a minimum of a 6-foot distance at all times.
Trash (garbage) will continue to be accepted at the compactors.
Public Safety Building
All walk-in services to the Public Safety Building (PSB) are temporarily suspended. The public is encouraged to contact the departments via telephone (Police at 978-779-7800 or Fire/EMS at 978-779-2203) for all non-emergencies. If you have an emergency please dial 911.
Visitors to the PSB vestibule may use the wall mounted drop box or contact Dispatch via the direct dial down wall mounted telephone.
Police Officers will only be allowed to handle non-emergency matters over the telephone.
The Harold Brown Training Room will be closed to the public for at least the next three weeks.
Records requests can be requested by contacting Lorraine Kenney at 978-779-7832 or lkenney@bolton-ma.gov
It is important to understand that the current situation is fluid. All details of this announcement may change at any time due to federal or state directives, medical progress or expanded community spread. We encourage the public to stay up to date by enrolling in alerts from CodeRED. Text “BOLTONALERTS” to 99411.