City Of Evanston Announces Service Changes

From the City of Evanston:

March 13, 2020

The City of Evanston has announced temporary changes to City services, programs and facilities in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

Police, Fire and 911 Dispatch services will continue to operate as normal. In addition, the City’s 311 Service Center will be open for normal hours, 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday. Residents can contact 311 by calling/texting 847-448-4311, online at cityofevanston.org/311, or using the Evanston 311 mobile app.

Public Works services, including street cleaning and refuse collection, will continue as normal.

Morton Civic Center

Residents are encouraged to complete all City business online, when possible. The Civic Center will be open in a very limited capacity.

City Collector's Office - The City Collector's Office will be closed to in-person transactions until further notice. Residents are encouraged to make payments online at cityofevanston.org/how-to/make-a-payment, or may contact the Collector's Office Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., to receive assistance. To contact the Collector's Office, residents should call/text 847-448-4311. A payment drop box is also located just west of the Morton Civic Center.

Building Permits - Residents are encouraged to submit building permit requests electronically by emailing permitdesk@cityofevanston.org. Paper submissions can be dropped off in bins located outside of the Permit Desk located on the third floor of the Morton Civic Center. Customers will receive an email with instructions after their permit has been reviewed and is ready for pickup.

General and Emergency Assistance - General and Emergency Assistance services will have reduced hours and will operate Monday through Thursday from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. After 2 p.m., residents will have the availability to process applications over the phone at 847-448-8112. On Fridays, the office will be closed, but phone assistance will be available from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Early Voting - Early voting will continue at the Morton Civic Center through Monday, March 16. Hours on Saturday, March 14 and Sunday, March 15 will be extended from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. There have been several changes to Election Day polling locations. Residents should visit the Cook County Clerk’s Office website to find their Election Day polling location.

Property Tax Assessment - The City’s Property Tax Assessment Review Office has canceled all scheduled one-on-one meetings, but can assist residents over the phone or online. Residents who need assistance should contact 847-448-4311.

Parks, Recreation and Community Services

All Parks, Recreation and Community Services programs, including preschool programs have been canceled through Sunday, April 12. All recreation community centers will be closed until further notice beginning Monday, March 16; however, facilities will remain open for food distribution programs only.

The Levy Center and Fleetwood-Jourdain Community Center's Congregate Meal Program will continue to provide meals to seniors in to-go containers for pickup only.

Free, cold breakfasts and lunches will be served to youth ages 1 to 18 years old at locations throughout the city on weekdays, from Monday, March 16 through Friday, April 3. Both breakfasts and lunches will be distributed from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the following locations: Fleetwood-Jourdain Community Center, Robert Crown Community Center, Kamen Park East Fieldhouse, and Mason Park.

Library

All locations of the Evanston Public Library will close at 6 p.m. on March 13 and will remain closed through at least April 12. Any materials checked out from the Library currently, including Most Wanted books and Wi-Fi Hotspots, will have a new due date of April 13. Staff will work from home and questions may be sent to the library at epl.org/ask-a-librarian/.

City Meetings and Events

Non-essential City meetings will be postponed until further notice. Please see the City’s website calendar, cityofevanston.org/events, for the latest status of City meetings and events.

Communications

Visit the City’s COVID-19 web page for the latest Evanston-specific information. Community members may also sign up for COVID-19 updates from the City at cityofevanston.org/newsletter.

For more information, please call/text 847-448-4311. For convenience, residents may simply dial 3-1-1 in Evanston.

This press release was produced by the City of Evanston. The views expressed here are the author’s own.