Laurel Mayor Craig Moe has announced that the Laurel Municipal Center will reopen on July 1, 2020.
Many city employees, who have been teleworking during the pandemic, will return to their offices, which have been sanitized using an electrostatic disinfecting process. Even the ductwork has been sanitized, ensuring a healthy environment for employees and visitors to the Laurel Municipal Center.
When the Municipal Center doors swing open to the public for the first time since March, visitors will interact with Municipal Center staff via a self-service kiosk. The kiosks are part of our new online program called R.A.P. (Register, Apply, Pay), meeting the needs of the public in a more efficient and safer way for things like permits, business licenses, zoning applications or HDC Certificates, and to register for Parks and Recreation classes and programs, too. Users can R.A.P. from home, as well.
Changes have also been made in the Passport Office. A new window and speakers have been installed for the new, appointment-only system (no more walk-in services). Details on how to make a Passport appointment will soon be announced on the city website.
Be aware that the U.S. State Department is just starting to open government buildings and the delivery time for new passports will be extended to weeks. If you are an adult, have a 10-year passport and need to renew, mail it in yourself using the DS-82 application that can be found at the State Department’s website, travel.state.gov, along with more information about how the State Department is handling the passport process during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The pandemic has afforded us an opportunity to usher in new and improved processes. Watch for announcements and details on www.CityofLaurel.org; if you’re already a registered online customer, check your email for more information.