Anne Arundel County Offices Closed, Some Services Still Available

ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY, MD — To help prevent the spread of the new coronavirus, all county buildings are closed to the public starting Thursday. The decision was made by Anne Arundel County Executive Steuart Pittman after consulting with the Anne Arundel Department of Health. County buildings will remain open to county employees only until further notice.

County government remains open and critical county government functions and responsibilities will continue. State offices in county buildings also are closed, including the department of social services. The county health department’s buildings will be closed; however, specific services will be provided by appointment.

Police and fire stations will remain open to the public for emergencies. County parks will remain free and open to the public. County recycling centers and the Millersville landfill will remain open and regular trash and recycling schedules remain unchanged.

“Protecting the health of our residents and preventing the spread of the coronavirus is our top priority,” said Pittman in a statement. “We are taking this action to keep people safe. Residents may stay up to date on our response to this public health crisis by visiting https://www.aacounty.org/coronavirus/”

The Arundel Center in Annapolis will open to the public briefly on Friday to accommodate the 9:30 a.m. emergency County Council meeting. Measures are being taken to ensure social distancing protocols are followed for any members of the public who attend. The meeting will be broadcast live and the public is encouraged to submit written testimony in advance of the meeting, rather than attend in person. The only item on the agenda is an ordinance to extend the county’s proclamation of civil emergency, which is set to expire on Friday. Information on Friday’s Council meeting may be found on the County Council website at https://www.aacounty.org/departments/county-council/.

Pittman also announced that the county Emergency Operations Center has been partially activated. All county agencies are working together under the unified command of Acting Chief Tim Mikules. A Joint Information Center has been established to coordinate resources, provide updates and streamline public messaging.