ROCKLAND — The following is from Rockland City Manager Tom Lutrell: Rockland staff and City Council have been working with regional/state officials and monitoring the spread of the COVID-19 virus.  We take the health and safety of our citizens very seriously and we have implemented measures designed to reduce the opportunity for spread of the disease. 

We have restricted staff travel for trainings or meetings, we are always encouraging a social distance of six feet between people, and we are cleaning high traffic areas more frequently.  We instituted a sick leave policy for city employees where they will not be charged for sick time if they stay home with flu-like symptoms.

“Sneeze guards” have been installed at public counters, and sanitation stations are in place at entrances.  Employees are being encouraged to work from home when applicable.  Our EMS/Fire department, our Police department, and our Management Team are all engaged in specific analysis, determining the best courses of action should the disease cause a local state of emergency. We are working daily to ensure that the health and safety of our residents is protected.

Out of an abundance of caution, we are following the recommendations of the CDC, Maine Municipal Association, and our municipal lawyer and thereby reducing Council and meeting activities to essential only.  We are canceling Council meetings for a minimum of two weeks and budget meetings will be postponed until May.  Committee meetings and Library Programs are canceled until further notice.  

If a public meeting does need to be held in the near future, we encourage citizens to watch via television or streaming. Public comments will be accepted and read into the record during a meeting, if emailed to the City Manager at tluttrell@rocklandmaine.gov. We encourage citizens to take advantage of this opportunity to express their opinions, and yet stay safely at home.

City staff and City Council welcome your input.  As always, individual contact information is available on the City website, rocklandmaine.gov. The City hall phone number is (207) 594-0300 and regular business hours remain the same as usual (8-4:30, M-F).

For up to date information on the COVID-19 Virus, check out the following links.    

Centers for Disease Control & Prevention: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html?s_cid=bb-coronavirus-2019-ncov-NCIRD

Maine Center for Disease Control & Prevention   https://www.maine.gov/dhhs/mecdc/infectious-disease/epi/airborne/coronavirus.shtml

Knox County EMA: https://www.knoxcountymaine.gov/ema

Sincerely,

Mayor Lisa Westkaemper and City Manager Tom Luttrell