The City of Topeka reopens for in-person services

The City of Topeka reopened City Hall, Municipal Court and the Cyrus K. Holliday Building for in-person services Monday.

Topekans may once again conduct issues that could be done online including paying water bills, applying for permits and licenses in a face to face setting.

"It's nice to be back to somewhat normal so people can come back and get things done," City of Topeka spokeswoman Molly Hadfield said.

The only city building that has not reopened for the public is the Fire Department in order to keep fire crews safe.

“The public can still have access to all services they've been able to have access to services the entire time even when buildings were closed but now they're able to meet in person,"Hadfield said.

"The biggest thing that was put on hold was municipal court so we didn't have any court dockets for a month and a half so now we're having in person court appearances now people can come into court now and pay your fines and fees."

Offices meetings are closed for the time being so anyone that may need to conduct with planning and development services department, neighborhood relations department and public works department needs to be held in a conference room on the first floor of the Holliday building.

The city installed Plexiglas barriers to decrease person to person contact with staff, limited gatherings in the lobby to no more than 10 people through social distancing markers and is encouraging anyone who enters to wear a mask.

The city asks for the public to respect the guidelines and if the service needed can be done remotely to handle it that way.

"Do anything you would do to keep your family and friends safe please extend that same courtesy to city employees,” Hadfield said. “We're doing everything we can to keep you safe as well and we just want to make sure everyone's being respectful of each other and trying to do our best to make sure we don't spread the virus."

According to Hadfield, it is best to call the City of Topeka Contact Center before arriving for an in-person service to find out if it can be done another way.

The number is 785-368-311.