Beaufort County government offices will be open to the public soon. Here’s when and how
Beaufort County plans to reopen most of its buildings to the public by June 15, the county announced Tuesday.
Government offices and buildings, which have been closed to the public since March 23, will “soft open” on June 1. Government employees will return to work in phases, according to a reopening plan obtained by The Island Packet and Beaufort Gazette.
Phase 1, which started May 18, asked department heads to come up with a plan identifying which employees can return to work and when. It requires employees who visit county buildings to wear face masks and practice social distancing. It also calls for increased cleaning of county facilities.
In Phase 2, which starts June 1, most or all employees are expected to physically return to their offices. Telework and shift rotations are optional for employees.
With cough guards, floor markings, signage and one-way directional markings in place, county government buildings will “soft open” to the public on June 1. Inside the buildings, however, department entrances will remain closed to the public.
The public is required to wear masks when entering county buildings and “strongly encouraged” to make appointments when dropping off items at offices, according to the reopening plan.
The buildings will close at 4:30 p.m. for cleaning.
On June 15, most county government buildings and department entries will be open to the public. Guests will be required to wear masks when inside county buildings, and the public is encouraged to do business online, via email and over the phone.
Beaufort County Council and committee meetings will continue to be held virtually.
For additional questions, call 843-255-1000 or visit Beaufort County’s website at www.beaufortcountysc.gov.
