Library offers pickup service
By Angie Landsverk
The city of Waupaca closed its library and recreation and senior centers on Monday, March 16.
That was after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommended a day earlier that all events involving 50 people or more be canceled for the next eight weeks to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.
All city-sponsored programs or public events are also postponed until further notice.
When the Waupaca County Post went to press on Tuesday, City Hall and the police department remained open to the public.
However, the city encouraged those needing to conduct business at either place to do so via phone or online when possible.
Facility closures, along with a timeline for them, were to be discussed and determined at the March 17 common council meeting.
“We want to remind our residents that all essential city functions will continue,” City Administrator Aaron Jenson said. “Our staff and elected officials will continue to work together to provide timely updates over the upcoming days and weeks.”
Mayor Brian Smith and city administration met with department heads on Monday, March 16.
The meeting was to discuss the next steps to ensure city operations continue to function while taking precautions to help mitigate the risk of COVID-19 exposure to residents, employees and elected officials.
The mayor also declared a state of emergency for the city that day.
Jenson said it was made as a precautionary measure to make sure the city will be able to most effectively respond as needed to what is a rapidly changing situation.
One precautionary measure taken was limiting attendance to the March 17, regularly scheduled council meeting.
It was held at its normal time, but closed to the public.
The city broadcasts its council meetings live here on its Facebook page, Win-TV Charter Channel 991 and on Waupaca Radio FM 96.3.
The precaution was taken to ensure the health of city residents and council members as the city works to avoid failures to have a quorum due to health reasons.
“We would like to ensure that city council has the ability to make decisions over the upcoming weeks so city business can continue to move forward,” Jenson said in a news release.
Library services
The Library Board held an emergency meeting on Monday, March 16, to discuss the closure and how to still provide services during it.
Waupaca’s library is scheduled to remain closed until April 6.
The board voted to give Library Director Peg Burington the authority to extend the closure if CDC recommendations change.
It also approved having curbside delivery during the closure.
“We want to look at how to continue services without opening the door,” said Board President Julie Eiden.
Before the board took action on the idea, she asked others for their thoughts on it.
“I think it’s a great idea,” said Joe McClone.
Holly Olsen said curbside pickup is forward thinking.
“Our staff has been great – coming in, taking care of materials,” Burington said. “There are models from libraries we can use.”
She said the staff entrance will be used.
The library’s pickup service is available from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Monday through Friday.
“I think it’s something we can handle,” Burington said.
Patrons may visit www.infosoup.org to place holds on items.
She noted the items must be available at Waupaca’s library.
People may also call the library at 715-258-4414 to make arrangements to check out materials, request tax forms or for other questions, Burington said.
Staff members are wearing gloves and sanitizing items as they come, she said.
Items for pickup will be placed in bags, with a library staff member delivering them right to patrons’ vehicles.
Patrons have to also call the library to arrange pickup times.
The library also plans to offer some virtual programming on its Facebook page.
“The plan is to keep staff working if we can,” Burington said. “It looks like it will be our material, from our library only, for holds.”
Eiden said there are a number of things happening behind the scenes staff members can do.
“We have the money in our budget to pay our staff, even if the library is closed,” Burington said.
The board approved employee compensation whether they are working or told they cannot work.