By Greg Ellison

(Dec. 2, 2021) After closing town government office buildings last month in the wake of several employees tested positive for covid-19, Berlin officials announced last week that Town Hall would reopen to the public on Wednesdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. through Jan. 3.

Deputy Town Administrator Mary Bohlen said the intent was to ensure public safety by limiting exposure.

“We’ve had several positive cases in the last few weeks,” she said.

Berlin also re-opened the Planning Department and the Visitors Center last week, but opted to limit public access to Town Hall to one day a week for the rest of the year.

“This is the building with the most public exposure,” she said.

Mayor Zach Tyndall said town officials have consulted with the CDC and Worcester County Health Department for health safety advice throughout the coronavirus pandemic.

“There’s not much guidance about closing buildings,” he said. “They really leave that up to individual municipalities.”

Tyndall said options were limited after the recent rash of positive covid tests.

“We had to close down all office buildings to get staff tested,” he said.

As results returned, unaffected staff began trickling back to regular office duties.

Tyndall said residents needing assistance paying utility or other bills could contact customer service staff.

Payments can be made in person at two drop-off boxes in Town Hall on Wednesdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. or online by visiting berlinmd.gov and clicking “online payments” on the top right.

“We’ve been able to meet all those operational needs because of the precautions we’ve taken,” he said.

Public meetings scheduled in December will be held with in-person attendance limited and masks required.

Tyndall said department heads would only attend meetings as needed and only for the relevant portion.

Tyndall applauded staff efforts to maintain operations despite safety precautions.

“Staff members rose to the occasion to deliver top customer service despite staffing challenges,” he said.